MOXY Phoenix Tempe hotel’s #BlankCanvas event on Friday, Sept. 9, showcased the work of artist Peru Dyer, a bright spray-painted mural on a once-barren white wall near the pool. In a contest that gained submissions from artists around the world, the Peruvian-Canadian artist’s unique style came out on top. Dyer was then flown in from his home in Canada to create an entirely new piece specifically for the MOXY Tempe hotel, located on Rural near ASU campus.

The Marriott’s MOXY hotel line boasts the evocative excitement of metropolitan life, with a “no rules” kind of vibe. Be the wild child you’ve always imagined yourself, but with all the comforts of a luxury hotel. The bar at the entrance doubles as the check-in desk, and the concierges and bartenders are one in the same. As an accompaniment to this urban hotel feel, the #BlankCanvas event, a partnership with Tempe Festival of the Arts, aimed to give the hotel a burst of life, inviting guests to view Dyer’s work, have a few cocktails and engage in the local arts scene.

“MOXY is an industrial chic hotel that connects people to each other—we’re going to connect you to what makes Tempe different,” says Hannah Huse, director of sales at MOXY Tempe. The first of the hotel line to open in the U.S., MOXY Tempe has a modern, edgy feel. Spherical terrariums hang from the walls and numerous lights dazzle the ceiling. Vintage arcade games like Pac-Man and pinball add a playful atmosphere to the common area.

Dyer’s art is street-savvy, a graffiti style with an array of geometric shapes, bold in color and precise in execution. The no-holds-barred artist recently finished his graffiti wall on what was once a stretch of blank space at the hotel’s outdoor pool. Entirely spray-painted, Dyer says the mural was a freestyle piece, the inspiration coming from the people and places he encounters in life.

“Art is meant for the people,” Dyer says. “It’s a positive thing to express and share with others—an agent of change.” The graffiti wall at MOXY Tempe has an almost tribal feel to it with striking shades of red, blue and green.

Dyer explains that his parents were always supportive of his creative side growing up, encouraging him to explore his interests. “It was always an option for me to be an artist, which is really rare in life.”

Having tried everything from wood, tie-dye, metal, rope, plastic and spray-paint, Dyer’s art makes a statement. And his graffiti wall at the Marriott’s MOXY Tempe will inevitably shape how guests experience the eclectic, youthful city that is Tempe.

To learn more, visit moxy-hotels.marriott.com and MoxyBlankCanvas.com.