Alec Monopoly (1986) - ALI #1

Alec Andon, also known as Alec Monopoly in the art world, is a street artist originally from New York City. His claim to fame is the use of the Parker Brothers Monopoly character 'Mr. Monopoly' from the Hasbro brand board game. The artist has also worked in urban environments in Miami, Los Angeles, Europe, Mexico, and across Asia, using various mediums (including stencils, spray paint, epoxies, varnishes, and newspapers) to depict various iconic pop culture characters.

He is also a brand ambassador for Swiss watchmaker TAG Heuer and created a live mural on the red carpet for the 2013 film Justin Bieber’s Believe. Monopoly’s work has been purchased by Philipp Plein, Miley Cyrus, Robin Thicke, Snoop Dogg, Seth Rogen, Adrien Brody, and Iggy Azalea. What is most fascinating about Alecs's work is that, although it may appear humorous and meaningless to the untrained eye due to his use of commercial characters and styles, his works actually offer a detailed commentary on modern society's capitalist values. Some of his pieces are intended as criticism of the billion-dollar bailouts and deregulation associated with major banks.