- Florida-based artist Harold Caudio creates elaborate portraits of influential people of color using Skittles.
- Caudio has featured Beyoncé, Tupac Shakur, Will Smith, Bob Marley, and others in his series, titled "The Colored Collection."
- He first drew inspiration for the project after the death of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old Florida teen who was shot and killed in 2012 after buying Skittles at a convenience store.
- Caudio told Insider that he uses the multicolored candies because "Skittles represents us coming together as a culture."
- Caudio created a Skittles portrait of the late rapper and activist Nipsey Hussle shortly after his passing.
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Florida-based artist Harold Caudio has channeled his creative vision using an incredibly unconventional approach.
In his art series, titled "The Colored Collection," Caudio creates portraits of influential people of color entirely out of Skittles candies. His works have featured Beyoncé, Tupac Shakur, Will Smith, Bob Marley, and others.
Caudio produced a Skittles portait of Nipsey Hussle, a Grammy-nominated rapper and activist who was shot and killed outside of an apparel store he owned in Los Angeles on March 31, 2019.
Check out some of Caudio's Skittles portraits below.
Artist Harold Caudio began his series of Skittles portraits after the death of Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed in 2012 after buying Skittles from a convenience store.
The death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, who was shot and killed in 2012 while walking home after buying Skittles from a convenience store, marked the beginning of a nationwide increase in consciousness surrounding the shooting deaths of unarmed men of color.
It also inspired many, including Florida-based artist and designer Harold Caudio, to take action. A Haitian-American man, Caudio decided to channel his artistic vision into creating a portrait of Martin. But, instead of using conventional methods like drawing or painting, Caudio opted to make a portrait of the late teen entirely out of Skittles candies, which became a symbol of the high schooler's innocence and the injustice of his untimely death.
"My initial inspiration was the Trayvon Martin incident that happened," Caudio told Insider. "The fact that I went into a store and my son wanted Skittles around the same time is what sparked it. [...] I figured Skittles represents us coming together as a culture."
Caudio told Insider that he planned to meet Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, to gift her with his piece.
Caudio's vision has since expanded into an art series titled "The Colored Collection."
He told Insider that he hopes this project will draw attention to people of color's "huge impact on society and culture." It's no wonder, then, that he chose to devote a Skittles portrait to Bob Marley.
The Jamaican singer and songwriter helped bring reggae music to prominence with hits like "Get Up, Stand Up" and "I Shot the Sheriff." Caudio titled his Bob Marley Skittles portrait "Sweet Redemption."
And he honored Will Smith with a portrait titled "Everybody loves Will."
Caudio told Insider that it takes him approximately three weeks to create each portrait.
"It's about the amount of Skittles," Caudio said. "When I'm running out I have to make a run to get bags of Skittles and then sort them by hand."
Caudio made a portrait of Beyoncé out of Skittles, which he titled "King B."
Beyoncé has been lauded as an icon for empowering women through her lyrics. Songs like "Run the World,""Pretty Hurts," and "Survivor," have become anthems for women across the globe.
Caudio told Insider that he has an event planned with Beyoncé's mother, Tina Knowles, this summer.
As one of the most iconic figures in the history of hip-hop, Tupac Shakur helped shape the genre before he was killed in a drive-by shooting.
Caudio creatively named the portrait "All Eyes on Sweets" in reference to Shakur's fourth studio album, "All Eyez on Me."
Caudio memorialized up-and-coming rapper XXXTentacion with a Skittles portrait titled "Barely Legal."
According to police, XXXTentacion was fatally shot on June 18, 2018, during a confrontation with men who intended to rob the rapper of his Louis Vuitton bag containing $50,000.
Read more: 4 indicted on murder charges over killing of rapper XXXTentacion
Caudio told Insider that he met XXXTentacion's mother and gave her the portrait.
"That experience was surreal," Caudio said. "It meant a lot for me to meet her and present her with the piece. She was extremely happy and started calling and FaceTiming a lot of people."
Caudio produced a Skittles portait of Nipsey Hussle, the Grammy-nominated rapper and activist who was shot and killed on March 31, 2019, just after his death.
Hussle was known for his philanthropic and community-building efforts in his hometown of Los Angeles.
In a similar vein, Caudio recently created a portrait of American activist Korey Wise.
Caudio debuted his Korey Wise Skittles piece in New York City with That Game Social.
He also created a portrait of popular rapper Cardi B.
Caudio told Insider he will be featured in a solo exhibition on November 16 in Miami.
Caudio told Insider that he plans on making former first lady Michelle Obama the subject of one of his next portraits.
Caudio isn't done yet.
"I have a lot more pieces coming up," he told us. "Mona Lisa and then Michelle Obama as my next piece."
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