{"id":64695,"date":"2017-09-18T15:49:06","date_gmt":"2017-09-18T22:49:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/juicemagazine.com\/home\/?p=64695"},"modified":"2017-10-18T07:23:53","modified_gmt":"2017-10-18T14:23:53","slug":"california-locos-masters-of-style-opening-night-at-eastern-projects-gallery-in-la","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/juicemagazine.com\/home\/california-locos-masters-of-style-opening-night-at-eastern-projects-gallery-in-la\/","title":{"rendered":"California Locos “Masters Of Style” Opening Night at Eastern Projects Gallery in LA"},"content":{"rendered":"

This past weekend, Eastern Projects Gallery presented a phenomenal group art exhibition, curated by one of the pioneers of East L.A. Cholo style lettering and graffiti, Chaz Boj\u00f3rquez, and his lovely and talented wife, Christina, which featured legendary SoCal artists whose compelling work offers a strategic and essential viewpoint of our beloved subcultures of surfing, skateboarding, graffiti, low-brow, tattoo, hot rod, lowriders and music.<\/p>\n

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The California Locos SoCal Originals “Masters Of Style” show highlighted spectacular work by a heavy line-up of amazing artists including: Mister Cartoon, Shepard Fairey, Estevan Oriol, RETNA, SLICK, Robert Williams, Chaz Boj\u00f3rquez, Dave Tourj\u00e9, John Van Hamersveld, Norton Wisdom and Gary Wong.<\/p>\n

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One of the main driving forces of the California Locos movement is the community-based inclusiveness making every show a once in a lifetime experience. This night was a pure triumph for these extraordinary expressionists whose bodies of work stretch over half a century.<\/p>\n

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The California Locos are more than a group of artists, and this was way more than an art show. The atmosphere was one that, at any given moment, you would find unlikely people connecting with each other and making amazing new friendships that will inspire many works of art to come.<\/p>\n

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The line to get into the show stretched over half a mile through Chinatown as the masses gathered for this provocative and exciting show. Guests were treated to an eyeball full of lowrider style as they entered the arena, with a display of Mister Cartoon’s, sleek and beastly 1958 Impala, shining with exquisite, detailed paint and pin-striping by @DannyDJefe.<\/p>\n

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Alongside Mister Cartoons’ classic lowrider, California Locos mastermind, Dave Tourje’s gorgeous 1962 Locos Nova, was proudly gleaming and glistening with original Cali Locos artwork by\u00a0Chaz Boj\u00f3rquez, Dave Tourj\u00e9, John Van Hamersveld, Norton Wisdom and Gary Wong. As Tourje explains, “Locos culture is all about the SoCal LA-based subcultures like graffiti, surf\/skate, punk rock, lowrider, hotrods, etc. The Locos Nova art car is an extension of that.”<\/p>\n

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The East Wind Lion Dance Troupe graciously blessed the show and the energy that this group of dancing lions brings to an event is so memorable and fun that kids of all ages were dancing along with glee. The traditionally costumed dancers entered the packed gallery and immediately proceeded to bow down and pay honor to the shrine erected to the memory of recently passed art icon, Greg Escalante. R.I.P.<\/p>\n

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As Cali Locos’ Dave Tourje stated, “The California Locos will be dedicating our show at Eastern Projects to, Greg Escalante, a world class gallerist, surfer, publisher, champion of artists, and dedicated progenitor of our SoCal culture. We will have an altar in Greg’s honor, so bring your memories, photos, or just yourselves to celebrate the memory and contributions of this titan of the Artworld, whose bright and generous spirit has helped and inspired so many.”<\/p>\n

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As the night blossomed with family and friends, under the Chinese lanterns adorning the avenue, a bevy of VIPS came from near and far to pay their respects and enjoy the community of the L.A. familia. Surfing royalty, Herbie and Dibi Fletcher, made the trek from San Clemente, with surf photographer wizard, Tom Servais, while, Christian Hosoi’s wife, Jennifer Hosoi and Jay Alabamy’s wife, Christy Haizlip, made the trip from Huntington Beach.<\/p>\n

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Dogtown Skateboards, Jim Muir, and his wife, Era, and pups, Schmutz and Talula, as well as Dogtown team riders, Mickey O’Keefe and Shota Kubo were front and center snapping photos of the art and their favorite artists. Roll Model Skateboarding and Dogtown skateboarding icon, Eric “Tuma” Britton also made the scene with style. David Mayes of Typecraft and Gomez Bueno of GB Enterprises, made an appearance as well as Gregory de la Haba, chief expeditor at Bodega de Haba, who came all the way from New York for the show.<\/p>\n

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Artists, MEAR ONE, Joshua Paskowitz, Marc McKee and Michael Torquato DeNicola, as well as Dusters, Nano Nobrega were also on hand to celebrate with the Locos. \u00a0The Ernie Wolf Gallery crew showed their support for the artists as did VIPs, family and friends, Pop Annemarie, Ash Chan, Aise Bourne, Lauren Over, Michelle Helseth, Cindy Schwarzstein, Heidi Johnson, Tanner Goldbeck, Steve Grody, Wendy Sherman, Leah Shane Dixon, Tibby Rothman, Paige Wery, Jeff Levy, Benay Eisner, Marsea Goldberg, Osceola Refetoff, Isabel Rojas-Williams, Leonard Tunstad, Mason Brown, Lauren Cullen, Regina Argentin, Daniel Chaka Ramos, Steez, Ritzy Periwinkle, Rakaa, All City Tribe, 777 Crew, Brandon Smith, Colitas, Alex Silva, Emily Wiss, Guerin Swing, Hikaru Matsuyama, Denise Cortes, Gary Leonard, Thiago Taneda, Jack Rudy, Pride, Nickie Redd, Paul Gronner and thousands more.<\/p>\n

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Eastern Projects Gallery is a pop up gallery, spearheaded by Rigo Jimenez and Hussein Katz, and has established its reputation for mind-blowing, culturally significant theme events that leap outside the rigid boundaries of the conventional art world. Located at Blossom Plaza in LA’s festive Chinatown, Eastern Projects Gallery maintains its focus on shows that elevate and celebrate the diversity of the Los Angeles community.<\/p>\n

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California Locos “Masters of Style” Exhibition Dates: September 16, 2017 – October 28, 2017 at Eastern Projects Gallery, 900 North Broadway #1090, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Roll down to Chinatown and feast your eyes on epic art by some of L.A.’s most original and respected artisans.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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California Locos \"Masters of Style\" Video\r\nFilming by Dan Levy and Vans Davey \r\nfor Juice Magazine<\/pre>\n