Every Wednesday night, you can catch professional wrestler Lee Moriarty on AEW Dynamite, and he’ll be live later this month at New York’s Hammerstein Ballroom, where he’ll defend his title as Ring of Honor Pure Champion. But this week, he’s making his debut as a fine artist, with a nearly sold-out booth at NADA Miami.

“I’ve never been to an art fair,” Moriarty admitted to me. “I’ve seen them online—to be actually in one is very inspiring to me. To see all the art around me, it just motivates me.”

The wrestler’s unexpected entry into the art world comes courtesy of Adam Abdalla, founder of the arts consultancy firm Cultural Counsel, who just so happens to be a devoted wrestling fan. He’s showing Moriarty at the fair as a project from Orange Crush, the magazine he founded in 2020 explore the intersection art and wrestling.

“Wrestling is really like performance art,” Abdalla told me. “I think it’s pretty appropriate for Lee to come out swinging in an art fair, because it’s an art world battle field, in a way.”

One of professional wrestler Lee Moriarty’s lucha libre paintings shown by Orange Crush at NADA Miami Beach. Photo courtesy of Orange Crush.

On day three of NADA, only one of Moriarity’s paintings, which range from $3,500 to $6,500, was still available. Buyers reportedly included the artist Derek Fordjour and a prominent Dallas collector.

Abdalla’s love of wrestling has led him to curate three shows and publish a book, all featuring Nick Karp’s photographs of the sport.

It’s only the second time, however, that Abdalla has presented a booth at NADA, despite being an association board member since 2009—but his track record is impressive. At NADA New York in 2016, he did a solo presentation for dealer Joel Mesler, who has since become quite the sought-after painter. Could Moriarty be poised to follow suit?

“Lee was always well-known as a designer in the wrestling community,” Abdalla added, noting that he was the one who encouraged Moriarty to try his hand at painting after he saw the wrestling merchandise Moriarty had designed.

The wrestler is an art school grad, but had previously focused on drawing and graphic design. Those skills translated when he picked up the paintbrush—his very first work, featuring a famous Japanese luchador, is among those on offer at the fair.

One of professional wrestler Lee Moriarty’s lucha libre paintings shown by Orange Crush at NADA Miami Beach. Photo courtesy of Orange Crush.

“The results were far beyond anything I could have imagined! The level of detail is pretty incredible,” Abdalla said.

All the paintings feature masked wrestlers—Moriarty always wears a mask when he first walks out for a match—but these men aren’t in the ring. They are lounging in the pool, manning the grill, and posing among colorful flowers. These are wrestlers in repose, an unexpectedly sweet and funny take on a subject typically associated with unbridled aggression and bravado. This softer side reflects Moriarty’s own pursuits and the relaxing things like cookouts with his girlfriend’s family that he is able to enjoy thanks to his success in the ring.

“Pro wrestling is more than just a sport about violence. It’s about emotion, imagination, excitement, and fun,” Moriarty said. “It brings out the kid in you. And that is what I want to do in my art. My art is meant to bring peace and calm.”

When asked what artists he looks to for inspiration, Moriarty cited KAWS and Alec Monopoly. They both elevate cartoon characters to the realm of fine art, much as Moriarty strives to do with lucha libre wrestlers. But visually, Moriarty is more in the school of a David Hockney or a Jonas Wood, to list two comparisons being thrown about by fairgoers.

Abdalla was quick to admit that Moriarty hasn’t quite achieved the mastery of those blue-chip names, but he’s excited to see what the wrestler can paint moving forward.

“He’s gotta go make more,” Abdalla said. “And we need to find him a gallery. The demand is too high!”

NADA Miami is on view at Ice Palace Studios at 1400 North Miami Avenue, Miami, Florida, December 3–7, 2024.