'Living legend of graffiti', 'cholo', 'pioneer', ' The Godfather of West Coast Graffiti', whatever you want to call Chaz Bojórquez , he is the artist who left his name and style in the neighborhoods of Mexican-American urban culture and, now, part of it is captured on one of the labels of Mezcal Verde.

Chaz Bojórquez began painting in 1969 during the Chicano Movement. In the 1970s, the golden age of graffiti, he continued to work 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.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Mezcal Verde (@mezcalverde)

Bojórquez is the author of one of the first iconic stencils in street art: 'Mr. Lucky' . His signature emerged as a vision of the streets, a definition and symbol of signaling his community in Highland, Los Angeles. It was not a painting, it was a work of art that was born to be graffiti.

This well-known stencil is linked to his Mexican heritage around the cult of Santa Muerte. Initially ' Mr. Lucky' was seen as a protective symbol against death for him and his companions, then it was captured in the form of a tattoo for those in search of strength and fighting death.

“I am discovering, guessing, finding my way; I am coming across my own light. In the end, it turns out that I created something I would never have imagined.”

In his early days, Chaz began working with a Chicano artist, developing some exhibitions. Later, he became self-taught, as he is convinced that graffiti is a matter of strength and freedom; a journey to find the soul and not money. Currently, he gives talks and seminars in all the art schools in the state of California and participates in Chicano conventions, exhibiting graffiti as an extension of the streets.