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Living Art
grandfather was fullblooded Chinese and I wanted to honor my heritage. My dream has finally came true,” Adult Superstore celebrates culture says Duran. with a mural symbolizing rebirth. Duran executed the TEXT DEBBIE HALL auspicious mural using his extensive experience creating large-scale paintChinatown in Las Vegas and an advisor on the ings, art installations, represents its communi- project, envisioned a mu- and transformative projty vibrant cultural arts. ral representing a unify- ects. As an artist, he is inCelebrating diversity, ing force and rebirth for a spired by science-fiction Lanny Love—philancity rising again. writings and ancient mythropist, and propri“When I moved to thology leaning towards a etor of the Adult SuperLas Vegas [in 2006], I dark, surrealistic graffiti stores—commissioned had always wanted to sci-fi approach. Duran Las Vegas-based artist create some awesome, celebrates his Native Gear Duran to transform cuturally-themed murals American, Mexican, and the building into a work in Chinatown to reflect Chinese ancestry along of art. Brian “Paco” Alva- the pride shown in the with cultural influencrez, a Las Vegas curator community. My greates. He was raised in Baja,
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California and Sonata, Mexico until the fourth grade when he moved back to the US with his family. As a child, Duran developed a love of comic books, video games, and late-night scifi shows that he shared with his grandfather. Taking inspiration from the Lungshan Temple in Taipei, Taiwan, the 100-foot-by-30foot mural features the mythical animals of the Phoenix (Fenghuang) and the Dragon (Lóng). Together these two powerful celestial beings represent the balance between yin and yang, love, and marital bliss.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CLAUS SCHMIDT
Chinatown 3226 Spring Mountain Rd. @gearduran