Who am I?

My name is Jonathan Merilo and I consider myself an artist in all forms. I write, I take photos, I play comically small instruments. This site is a repository for the art I’ve created and a way for me to share my passion with others. It’s important for me to have a space I can call my own and share my point of view. I hope to grow this site in the future and make it more than just a portfolio. For now the Version 1.0 Obscuniverse is my attempt at organizing my art and writing, but one day I hope to add podcasts and videos that delve into the obscure topics I find fascinating, After all, I was voted “Encyclopedia of Useless Information” in 4th grade and I’d really like to make that information useful!

the site.

As you explore this site you’ll see some of my favorite photos and videos I made that reflect the ever changing face of New York City and beyond. As a fan of street art, I can spend hours getting lost in the city looking at murals and graffiti that speaks volumes about the people and the things that matter to them. From BLM to Jessica Rabbit, it’s a varied pool of techniques and style that I want to document seeing as how these pieces are ephemeral and disappear into the ether. I am also fascinated by nature and here you will see many photos of rare and beautiful flowers. Like street art they disappear, but unlike murals, spring comes and the flowers bloom again. It’s beautiful process. I can’t just take pictures of the murals that adorn the walls, I also love to take photos of the buildings that they live on. The city has changed so much since I first moved here. But I’d like to think that I managed to capture the ever transitory state of gentrification and the commodification of culture that no one can seem to escape.

History

Native Californian to New York City transplant, I am a student at the New School (Eugene Lang), I moved to NYC to discover myself and learn all I can about the writers who held my hands through the dark hours of the night. With a background in photography and a passion for equipment, I learned through trial and error what works and what doesn’t. With my major in creative writing I hope to include much more of my writing on this site and make it the fullest portfolio of my art I can. All the images, music and videos on obscuniverse has been wrought from my own hands! I am an open book and will one day include more in this biography, but for now feel free to reach out with any questions!