A couple weekends back, Eleventh District photographer Miguel ‘Site’ Torres and I took a trip over the UCLA Hammer Museum to hear the legendary Chicano Artist and Graffiti Art icon Chaz Bojórquez deliver his lecture “Philosophy of Lettering”.

The experience was inspiring to say the least. Chaz gave the audience a detailed history of his work and experience in the Los Angeles art world starting as far back as the late 1960’s, as well as his incredible insight into the world of Commercial, Fine, Indigenous, and Pop Art and how they all relate and culminate into the foundation of modern Graffiti Art. Anyone who was ever tried to dispute the importance and relevance of graffiti art in the modern world, should really hear Chaz speak on the correlations of ancient and modern calligraphy and graffiti and how they all relate to the world around us. I honestly hope someone recorded this lecture, because aside from the fact that I think many people should hear it, I myself would love to hear it again!

We were fortunate enough to get to hang out with Chaz a little bit after the lecture, and I just want to say that he is a truly inspiring soul, and I really hope that other elders in the art world are as embracing of all the new art movements and young people who are pushing them as Chaz is.

-RiF.

Some of his earliest letter styles.

Chaz's earliest tag "Señor Suerte".

Rasta x Lowrider Wedding Caravan.

Some of his more popular commercial work.

Collaboration with Disney.

RiF & Site hanging with the man of the hour.

Chaz in action.

If you don't already have his book "The Art & Life of Chaz Bojórquez", go get it... Stop wheat you are doing this very minute, and get it!