Thailand native Alex Face (born Patcharapol Tangruen) is best known for his signature character Mardi, a three-eyed child often presented in a fuzzy rabbit costume. Inspired by the artist’s own young daughter, Mardi is by turns world-weary and wry, challenging viewers to consider the legacy that our children will inherit as well as what the future holds for successive generations. Long a fixture across the Bangkok cityscape and the Thai countryside, Mardi now adorns walls in locations including Tokyo, Seoul, Taipei, Jakarta, Oslo, Amsterdam and Paris — and soon, Chicago. Alex Face discovered American graffiti art while studying fine arts at Bangkok’s King Mongktut University Institute of Technology, soon acquiring two cans of spray paint — one red, the other white — which he put to creative use on his own car. At first he painted his name, then moved on to depicting his face, a flourish that inspired the Alex Face moniker. His work has since gained recognition across the globe: in 2018, he occupied the Bank of Thailand Learning Center during the first Bangkok Art Biennale, and the following year, he exhibited in the Venice Biennale in Venice, Italy. Alex Face has also collaborated with high-profile brands like COACH and Mercedes Benz.