We just got back from an incredible journey in Saint Martin for SXM Festival and are still buzzing from all our experiences. One of the most breathtakingly impressive art installations at SXM Festival were two giant iguanas hugging the DJ booth. These massive beasts transformed the main stage at Happy Bay. Upon closer inspection, you could see that they were constructed of only natural, plant-based materials. It was an incredible, visually stimulating display. After this discovery, there was only one question on our minds – ‘How does someone get into creating huge sculptures out of sticks and leaves?’
Luckily, we got to meet the creator of these fine works: Ernest “Hoodie” Salinas. We were chatting about the natural beauty of Saint Martin when he told me his inspiration stemmed from a desire to create a harmony between the stage presentation and its surrounding environment. Hoodie only builds his artistic displays from locally sourced materials from the native environment. While he usually works with reclaimed woods, metals, and glass, there was a significant lack of driftwood on the island. Rather than importing wood from another location, Hoodie utilized dried leaves, fronds, and other native vegetation to create the SXM Fest bodies of work. Hoodie believes that there is no need to import excess materials in order to create beautiful pieces of high quality art.
Hoodie is a San Francisco based artist and sculptor, but has traveled the world, sharing his art and vision. Examples of his art collection can be viewed on his cleverly named website, majestixdesign.com, and on his Instagram. Sustainability and a “leave no trace” mentality is a common theme among festival-goers. It is an important message to recognize especially while enjoying the exotic locations that nature has provided for us.
Ciao,
P&T
Techno & Pizza 