COMMUNITY FEATURE “WHEN YOU SEE SOMETHING LIKE A PROPAGANDA-STYLE LOGO NEXT TO A DRAWING OF A BIRD, YOUR BRAIN LIGHTS UP DIFFERENT PLACES—POLITICS, NATURE—AND THEN SOME KIND OF DIALOGUE HAPPENS,” RAVI ZUPA SAID. “THAT’S KIND OF THE INTENTION, TO LIGHT UP PARTS OF PEOPLE’S BRAINS AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.” THROUGH SYMBOLS, RAVI ZUPA’S ART IGNITES VIEWERS’ BRAINS STORY BY GILES CLASEN DENVER ARTIST RAVI ZUPA has joined forces with the Denver VOICE to create a powerful, limited-edition screenprint poster — crafted to fuel the organization’s mission of independent journalism and empowering low-barrier employment opportunities. Zupa, whose bold and thought-provoking work has been celebrated nationally for 20 years, generously donated this exclusive piece. With themes of power, labor, and cultural memory woven into every detail, this collaboration is more than just art—it’s a statement. “I think starting very early, I just always wanted anything that I do to have a sort of positive something to it,” Zupa said. “Even when I was really young, I wouldn’t draw pictures of morally ugly things — I always wanted some goodness to be part of the mix.” Zupa’s work is instantly recognizable for its stylistic homages and detailed linework. From whimsy to stoicism, Zupa’s work utilizes intricate ink cats, tattoo-inspired tigers, and revolutionary birds. His pieces speak from many voices but always sound like Zupa. “The truth is I don’t really have a style that’s my own,” he admitted. “Everything I do, I just bite off other styles. I love different stuff.” Zupa has spent hours studying and exploring art from different cultures and eras. He has used that vocabulary to evoke images that encourage hope, whimsy, lamentations, or transformation — sometimes all at once. According to Zupa, he aims to channel the same emotional intensity he feels when encountering great art into every piece he creates. “It’s like the sound of rain — something physical happens in my body. I want to pass that on,” Zupa said. Zupa draws from a rich tapestry of eras and cultures, such as 1970s comic books, Soviet propaganda, ancient Indian and Christian iconography, and traditional Japanese prints. For Zupa, these aren’t empty aesthetic choices. Each line of his work is intended to evoke thoughtful discourse. “When you see something like a propaganda-style logo next to a drawing of a bird, your brain lights up different places — politics, nature — and then some kind of dialogue happens,” he explained. “That’s kind of the intention, to light up parts of people’s brains and see what happens.” His logo echoes revolutionary and communist imagery 6 DENVER VOICE May 2025
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