Purvis Young was born in the poor neighborhood of Liberty City in Miami. In the early 1960s, he spent some time in prison for armed robbery. There he began to draw with passion. After his release he continued to produce thousands of drawings, which he accumulated in shopping carts or glued in old magazines or books that he found. He also covered pieces of wood, bottles, everything that he got hold of. In his paintings Young represents buildings, animals (especially horses), boats, people on the street, or the faces of angels. He sometimes adds a poetic message. He also captures images of life on the street. Despite a certain success, he continued to live in poverty, blending in the "landscape" of the deserted streets of Overtown. His art - as well as his technique - are difficult to classify : calligraphy, collage, graffiti ? All these techniques merge in his work to celebrate life and death.