Nelson Host Santiago | The New Engagement

Nelson Host Santiago

Nelson Host Santiago

Nelson Host Santiago

Nelson Host Santiago, a New York City native, deeply rooted in his Puerto Rican heritage, was born in Spanish Harlem and raised in the Bronx.

Nelson discerned his innate artistic talent at the tender age of four when one of his uncles introduced him to a series of comic books. It was love at first sight! Influenced by colorful images depicting various superheroes, he began drawing, sketching and painting, producing his earliest works without any formal training. Shortly thereafter, Nelson became captivated by urban hip hop culture and immersed himself in the world of graffiti art. It was at this time that "Host One" emerged unto the cityscape. Throughout the following decade, Nelson, aka Host One, actively engaged in Wild Style pieces as well as street bombing on a myriad of metropolitan "canvases."

Work by This Artist

Don't Sleep by Nelson Santiago

Don't Sleep

By Nelson Host Santiago

In a hellish carnival of social media platforms, virtual personas achieve godlike damnation. 

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Contests & Prizes

Flash Fiction Contest
On May 1st, we announced the winners of our Flash Fiction Contest: Thomas Garcia (1st), Rick Krizman (2nd), and Rios de la Luz (3rd). Read more.

The James Baldwin Literature Prize
It is with great pleasure that we announce the winner of The James Baldwin Literature Prize of $1,000 to Hafsa Musa. Read more.

The New Engagement

The New Engagement endeavors a novel approach to discovering, introducing, and showcasing writers, artists, and filmmakers, by providing them digital and print platforms, while encouraging and supporting their social-consciousness.