“Break ICE and make waves”
9 meter x 5 meter.
Spraypaint and latex on concrete.
Project for Bushwick Collective 2025
Location: St Nicholas Av & Jefferson street.
Artist:Tymon de Laat.
Model:Gumskie Phillipines.
Photos by: Brian

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As with every mural my portraiture is based on people I meet during my travels around the world. Here we see Gumskie, a surfer from the Phillipines that I photographed on the island of Siargao. Most likely Gumskie won’t have the opportunity to travel the world and there for it is extra special for me to paint his portrait in a place like NY and tell something about the Phillipines and the personal connections i made there. I also took photos in NY that i will paint on a future wall somewhere on this globe. See it as a cultural exchange where the common man becomes the hero of this story. Break ICE and make waves is a play on words. Some of you might get the connotation considering the current policy on deport@tion in the US and NL. We live in a world that due to modernisation of transport means becomes easier to traverse but at the same time also is becoming xenophobic of cultures when they visit or see their future with us. I hope this mural helps to spark peoples curiosity and ask questions about why a Phililpino is painted in New York. In an ideal world we all would act out of curiosity and understanding rather than fear as in the end you might find we have more in common than what sets us apart.

I want to give a massive thank you to Joe and the crew of Bushwick Collective for inviting to take part for the second time. Also a big thank you to Kobra Paint USA for the immaculate paint supplies and many of the artists and friends that made this event even more special like Brian, Audrey aka Bytegirl, Tom Bob, Sef, Sarah Dawn, Mr. June, Cristhian Saravia AKA Golden305, Ruben Ubiera and many more. You all know who you are and I thank you for the support of my art journey❤️

In the third photo you can also spot the wall I did in 2023.