MEET DAVID MASTERS: THE VISION BEHIND SURREAL24SEVEN

About Surreal24seven

From New York to Guatemala: A Journey in Contrast

I grew up in New York, where art pulsed through the streets, alive in every step I took. Life then led me to Guatemala, where I worked at my dad’s factory until it collapsed overnight. No money, no safety net - just one choice: give up or push forward. I chose to keep going. Eleven years later, I’m still here, breaking down doors in the art world, with my work now featured on SuperRare’s elite stage, transforming life's rough edges into surreal pieces that blend reality and imagination.

My process is obsessive: I create surreal, thought-provoking digital art by merging hundreds of AI-generated photographs into striking compositions using Photoshop. From there, I meticulously manipulate each piece through Photoshop, Lightroom, and various other technologies to breathe life into my ideas. The images I create are often fueled by the emotions I experience in life. As someone who struggles to express my feelings verbally, art has become my language. My emotions - raw and sometimes even childlike - find expression in each piece, resulting in work that’s uniquely compelling. When someone engages with my art, I want it to stir something deep within them. If a piece doesn’t evoke thought or feeling, to me, it’s a failure.

Take "Will Dance for Food" as an example: born from a job at a hostel here, making $2 an hour and watching guests toss out food I couldn’t touch. Two co-workers, part of the local staff, handed out leftovers but always skipped me - even when I hinted at hunger. The sting of their full plates against my empty one - that’s what I poured into the piece. It’s a raw, unapologetic statement about scraping by and turning hunger into art. In 2024, it won a major contest, outshining thousands, and landed on billboards worldwide.

Guatemala has tested me, sharpened my edges, and made me who I am today. But now, Chicago’s calling - tall buildings, big windows, a city that hums with energy like New York, yet has its own rhythm. My art has already touched down there, showing three times at an incredible gallery. I can’t wait to walk its riverwalk, explore the food, meet the people, and let my art continue to evolve with each step.

If my work resonates with you, let’s create something meaningful together - projects, events, or anything that pushes boundaries and connects. Check out my portfolio or reach out - let’s see what’s next.