The famous phrase “art imitates life” has rung true for decades, even millennia. The medium has the superpower of being timeless and entirely transcendental. Art can serve as a premonition of what’s coming, a warning for what’s occurring, a reflection of what has already happened, a reminder of potential repetition, or a recognition of patterns throughout history. It can chronicle horrors, preserve memories, and inspire hope. Art is a shapeshifter: whether a still image, a painting, a sequence in a film, or a piece of writing. Art is eternal. Most importantly, art is human. 

Celebrating the power of art and emphasizing artistic inspiration is the Frieze Los Angeles Impact Prize, which sees Victor “Marka27” Quiñonez as its 2025 winner. A Mexican-American genre-bending artist, Quiñonez fuses various art styles: graffiti, mixed media, paintings, a murals. Pamela J. Joyner and Sable Elyse Smith selected Quiñonez’s proposal for the award in collaboration with curator and writer Taylor Renee Aldridge, and as this year’s Impact Prize winner, he’ll debut his series I.C.E SCREAM at the Frieze Art Fair and receive a grant of $25,000.

The prize, which is realized in collaboration with WME Impact and is presented in partnership with The Center for Art and Advocacy, highlights artists and pieces that concentrate on the portrayals of social justice and offer diverse commentary, breaking barriers that force global audiences to confront the world around them. 

Quiñonez’s upcoming I.C.E SCREAM series is the true encapsulation of art imitating life. Quiñonez himself and his art harness the medium's superpowers to their full extent, not leaving any brush strokes or graffiti paint untouched by inspiration and intention.

I.C.E SCREAM is everything all at once. It is a warning, a premonition, a symbol of hope, all derived from Quiñonez’s Mexican-American roots and heritage, the immigration experience and perseverance of migrant workers, as well as the use of a prominent art style inspired by indigenous cultures. Quiñonez’s series couldn’t be more timely in terms of its subject matter and social commentary. A direct response to the unremorseful abuse of power and perpetuation of harmful stereotypes against immigrants and migrants, it is unforgiving in bold colors and striking images, and meticulous in its composition. Mostly, Quiñonez’s I.C.E SCREAM focuses on hope and a celebration of people. 

Quiñonez’s I.C.E SCREAM series will be displayed at Frieze Los Angeles at the Santa Monica Airport from February 20th to the 23rd.