Best of Boston

2020 Best Artist

Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs

Given that his typical canvas is at least a couple of stories tall, it’s hard
to miss Rob “ProBlak” Gibbs’s powerful work. The Lower Roxbury native—whose relationship with street art stretches back to his days tagging buildings as a kid—is the force behind the city’s Breathe Life murals, galaxy-inspired celebrations of Black youthhood. Now, as an MFA artist in residence, Gibbs is using his expertise to co-helm a project highlighting the influence of street art on contemporary culture. “My murals are mirrors,” Gibbs says. If that’s the case, we like what we see.