Written in partnership with DN News Desk
Written by: Vicky Sidler
Photo Credit: 1Penemy1Penemy is an upcoming street artist, who juxtaposes his edgy art style with the perceived glamour of the high fashion world to create a poignant message.
Street art – once an underground movement, limited to graffiti on busses, bridges, and buildings – can now be found in some of the world’s finest galleries.
There’s often more to the pieces than meets the eye and sometimes the same can be said of the artists as well.
Street Art Start
One such street artist is the up-and-coming 1Penemy, whose name stands for “number 1 public enemy.” His mug-shot styled portraits of famous models can be found wheat-pasted around New York City.
The juxtaposition of his edgy art style with the perceived glamour of the high fashion world creates a poignant message – there’s always more going on than you think.
There’s a dichotomy in the expectations placed on women by a male-dominated society. Beauty and sexuality are simultaneously praised and derided, something sought after and also shameful, and the personality and intelligence of these women are very often overlooked.
His art started with the models he grew up following, like Kate Moss, Cindy Crawford, and Stephanie Seymour, and now showcases contemporary models like Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, Helena Christensen, and Adriana Lima.
Photo Credit: 1PenemyGaining Attention
His initial plan was to keep his artistic street graffiti under the radar, but people spotted his work on the streets of SoHo and soon began posting pictures on social media, helping to grow his Instagram, @1Penemy.
Many models have posed in front of his notable “Model Mayhem” works. As his work has gained more attention, including the approval of supermodel Cindy Crawford, so too has demand – he currently has more than 30 active commissions and is in talks with several galleries.
More Than Meets The Eye
What truly sets 1Penemy apart from other street artists is his alter-ego, the man behind the murals – celebrity dentist, Dr. Nicholas Toscano. It may seem illogical that a dentist should be an artist, but he’s quick to point out the artistry involved in creating his clients’ smiles.
Heavily influenced by the many famous artists on his patient-list, including Bradley Theodore, Jeremy Penn, Layer Cake, Tripp Derrick Barnes, BY Flore, Producer BDB, and many others, he began creating street art in April of 2016.
Celebrity Clientele
Dr. Toscano balances applied science with countless client-tailored artistic smile reconstructions, makeovers, and recreations. He is the official dentist for roughly 25 modeling agencies in NYC and LA, including Lions, Wilhelmina, One Model Management, Marilyn, Storm, Major models, Fusion, and others.
His clients include some of the most famous models in the world, such as Victoria’s Secret models Candice Swanepoel, Helena Christensen, Jasmine Tookes, Romee Strijd, and Josephine Skriver.
His smiles also include High fashion models Andreja Pejic, Vittoria Ceretti, Bambi Northwood Blyth, Greta Varlese, and other stars like Real Housewives of NYC, Sonja Morgan, and Countess Luann de Lesseps.
Photo Credit: 1PenemyPurposeful Plans
Dr. Toscano has dedicated his life to helping others, through improving their health and helping them to live more confidently. Before becoming a successful periodontist, he served 13 years in the United States Navy, during which time he completed a General Practice Residency at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD.
During his time in the Navy, he was awarded three Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, a National Defense Service Medal, a Global War on Terrorism Medal, and two Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals – one of which was for definitive life-saving treatment of a patient.
Now, this humanitarian has discovered another way to reform others’ lives and wants to use his artwork to benefit more charitable causes. He plans to collaborate with some of his artist clients for a gallery show and intends to donate a portion of his profits to organizations like Model Alliance and the Me Too Movement, which help diminish women’s struggles.
For more information on his future gallery show and sale, check his Instagram pages, @1penemy, and @drtoscanodds.
