Edward Granger has remnants of paint in his fingernails and specks of it on his pants. "I always do," says the Louisiana native, who, since moving to New York six years ago, has rarely seen a day when he isn't juggling two or three projects. But while his vibrant, geometric wall murals have appeared in Manhattan, San Francisco, and Miami--each of them mapped out digitally before he renders them by hand--the 28-year-old doesn't consider himself a painter.
"Painting helped me come to terms with being gay--I painted my emotions out while liberating myself," he says. "But I'm multidisciplinary." This is reflected in Granger's installations and window displays for brands like Hermes, all of which parlay his architectural schooling into structural creations with queer symbolism, like rainbows. "Some pieces have the full spectrum of colors," he says. "Even if it's not spoken about, it's there."
This summer, Granger will join notable artists like Bruce Weber and Vivienne Westwood for a vast collaboration to benefit the ocean-conservation initiative Project Zero. Through camps and mural projects, he's also furthering his work with kids, many of whom attend schools where art has lost funding. It's a testament to how accessible his style is. "Andy Warhol said, 'Art is for everyone,'" Granger says. "I want my work to be relatable. I want inclusion with my art."
Photography: Ricardo Nelson
Groomer: Angela DiCarlo
Photographed at Granger's Studio in Brooklyn
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