Today we’d like to introduce you to Dario Mohr.

Hi Dario, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.

I began painting seriously in high school and started exhibiting during undergrad, with my first solo show taking place in 2008. I always had an interest in the occult and when I wasn’t painting portraits, I was exploring symbols and pictograms from different cultures and learning about how different cultures uniquely stumble on similar mystical truths. During this time I expanded my practice to encompass other disciplines to include assemblage and mixed media and by the time I went to gad school, I began working in sculpture, installation and experimenting with digital and video art. By the end of my MFA program at The City College of New York, I was making enveloping shrine installations.

Art is more than an object to possess or a fleeting memory to treasure. For me it is an act of alchemy, bringing forth the unconscious and conscious intentions of the artist to shape the viewer’s experience, the environment, and the spirit of the times. Incorporating prayer and meditation, I create my work to serve as sacred objects to bewitch the viewer, imbuing wonder and curiosity surrounding the themes present. My artistic purpose is to use this power responsibly to advocate for the preservation and revival of endangered indigenous traditions that serve the higher good, particularly those rooted in the African continent where my ancestors originate.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?

Yes. The barriers are life’s hazing rituals that ironically serve you in doubling down on your commitments to succeed. Each barrier is a gift in a sense.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?

Central to my work is the practice of ancestor veneration, a vital tradition that connects the living to their heritage, offering guidance and preserving wisdom. Across cultures, from Mexican ofrendas for Día de los Muertos to Vietnamese ancestral altars to the profound ancestor worship traditions across Africa, rituals honoring those who came before remind us of our shared humanity and collective legacy. In a world increasingly shaped by globalization, the internet, and social media, I believe it is important to invest in these traditions as these practices are at risk of being forgotten. Still, their relevance remains universal as we all have ancestors, and creating spaces to reflect on and honor them keeps their stories, wisdom, and traditions alive in a rapidly changing world.

To combat this erasure, I create reverent spaces through paintings, sculptures, immersive installations, and large-scale public works. The latter serve as monuments for reflection and platforms for engagement. I activate these spaces through rituals like the “Happy Planting Day Holiday and Planting Ceremony,” where participants honor their ancestors through an African Daisy seed paper greeting card workshop where audiences write messages to ancestors and loved ones who passed on. These well wishes are then planted at the Planting Ceremony following the workshop to bring new life into the world in their memory.

How can people work with you, collaborate with you or support you?

I facilitate a global exchange of Happy Planting Day cards, starting with Ghana in 2022. In 2023, I planted cards beneath a public sculpture I created at Old Stone House, Brooklyn, in collaboration with artist Cody Umans. I later gathered cards during a workshop there and planted them under two sculptures I presented at Tafaria Castle, Kenya. This cycle continued with a workshop for Kenyan citizens, whose cards I brought to the Bronx and planted beneath another public sculpture. The process extended to Cape Town, South Africa, with those cards set to be planted under a Manhattan public sculpture for Equity Gallery, supported by NYSCA in 2025.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.DarioMohr.com
• Instagram: @Dariomohr_art
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063487569769
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dario-mohr-63b91443
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DarioMohrArt

Image Credits

Headshot: Argenis Apolinario photo