The teen prodigy who’s friends with Snoop Dogg brings art to Dubai

How many 16 year olds can start their Instagram bio with “painter, rapper, actor” and actually be telling the truth? Skyler Grey can.

The teen sold his first piece of art when he was 11 years old, and is also the youngest artist ever to have had his work exhibited internationally.

And now the self-professed ‘Fresh Prince of Street Art’ is in Dubai for a solo exhibition at Coya, which kicks off tomorrow.

Oh, and need any further convincing that the teenage art prodigy is ‘one-to-be-watched’? He’s said to have sold pieces to Alicia Keys and Kanye West. Enough said. That’s cool.

His art has attracted the attention of other big celebrity names, with rappers Snoop Dogg, The Game, Timbaland and American Boy singer Estelle among his group of fans.

He’s so talented and hip for such a young lad, we’re close to feeling a bit bitter, but then the LA artist’s path to success wasn’t an easy one. His mum passed away when he was two, and Skyler credits his father for encouraging him to follow his love of art as a kind of therapy.

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The teen isn’t formally trained and is heavily influenced by his surroundings, which explains why so much of his work includes celebrities and cartoon characters – everything from Mickey Mouse to Amy Winehouse.

We’re big fans of his Queen Amy series, which features Winehouse looking royally regal and like the funkiest British postage stamp we’ve ever seen.

Skyler’s style is essentially street art meets pop art. He uses spray paints and pop culture images to create properly eye-catching pieces. Quite transparently, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Andy Warhol are his greatest influences (even though he was born a good decade after their time).

The young artist is in Dubai this week to unveil his pieces, which will be on the walls of the high-end Peruvian restaurant Coya from tomorrow, April 6, until May 18.

It’s all about budding talent in Coya right now, because from April 17 Skyler will be exhibiting alongside the sleek and stylish clothing of London-based designer Kristina Stets.

Go on, this is your chance to get yourself some wall art that Snoop Dogg would be proud of.

And look, Skyler’s already managed to fit in a good Middle Eastern meal in Dubai, and he only just landed yesterday:

Coya, Four Seasons Resort, Jumeirah Beach Road, Jumeirah 2, Dubai, Sat to Tues 12.30pm to 1.15am, Wed to Fri 12.30pm to 2am. Tel: (04) 3169600. Taxi: Four Seasons. coyarestaurant.com