'Living legend of graffiti', 'cholo', 'pioneer', 'The godfather of West Coast Graffiti', whatever you want to call Chaz Bojórquez, the artist whose name and style are all over the neighborhoods of Mexican urban culture of LA, and now, part of his essence is captured by Mezcal Verde.
Chaz Bojórquez, whose background in calligraphy and street sensibilities ushered in the advent of Chicano art in Los Angeles, began painting in 1969 during the Chicano Movement. In the 70s, the golden age of graffiti, he was unstoppable and traveled to more than 35 countries discovering the “universality of language”. For Chaz, graffiti is a living language that has always spoken to him about identity, community, intention, purpose, way of life and history.
Bojórquez is the author of one of the first iconic street art stencils: ‘Mr. Lucky'. His signature emerged as a vision of the streets, a definition and a signaling symbol of his community in Highland, Los Angeles. It wasn't a painting, it was a piece of art that was born to be graffiti.
This renowned stencil is linked to his Mexican heritage around the cult of Santa Muerte. In the beginning 'Mr. Lucky' was seen as a protective symbol for him and his friends against death, later on it was embodied in the form of a tattoo for those in search of strength to fight against death.
“I'm discovering, I'm guessing, I'm finding the pad of making my own light. In the end, I've created something I never would've thought before”
In the beginning, Chaz worked with a Chicano artist developing some exhibitions. Then he became self-taught because he is convinced that graffiti is a matter of strength and freedom; a journey to find the soul and not the money. He currently gives talks and seminars at art schools all over California and participates in Chicano conventions, exposing graffiti as an extension of the streets.
