Iena Cruz was born in Milan in 1981. In 2006 he graduated in Scenography from the Brera Academy of Fine Arts.
His passion for graffiti first became evident during his childhood, when he tended to scribble his name all over the walls of his Milan apartment. A habit that, while his mother disliked, laid the foundation for his lifelong artistic vocation.
Inspired by Californian skateboard culture and brands like Santa Cruz, Massa took to the streets in the 1990s under the alias "Cruz." Tagging on the streets of Milan, he learned to love the rebellious spirit of the graffiti world, especially the adrenaline rush of painting on moving trains. Moving away from graffiti and into street art, he began using the symbol of a hyena (Iena). This referred to his ability to appear cheerful, regardless of the circumstances. The alias "Cruz" more frequently became "Iena Cruz."
In 2002, Massa's artistic career began to advance thanks to his collaboration with "la fabbrica dell'arte della borsa," a collective of painters, sculptors, and set designers. This eight-year project provided him with a solid foothold in the Milanese art scene and the opportunity to explore mixed-media work. His desire to better understand the international art world, particularly the street art scene, combined with his love of big cities, informed his move to New York City in 2010. He currently resides in Brooklyn.
He is now a world-renowned muralist, contemporary artist, and set designer. On the streets of Brooklyn's rapidly evolving Bushwick and Williamsburg neighborhoods, the public can see many of the large-scale, colorful, and technically layered murals for which Massa is internationally renowned.