Gajin Fujita’s Defiant Acts
Ahead of his LA Louver Gallery solo presentation at Frieze LA, Gajin Fujita discusses growing up in Boyle Heights and being fascinated by the myths of Ukiyo-e
Ahead of his LA Louver Gallery solo presentation at Frieze LA, Gajin Fujita discusses growing up in Boyle Heights and being fascinated by the myths of Ukiyo-e
‘I must have been 14 or 15, I met these groups of kids that were into doing graffiti and breakdancing — that really attracted my attention.’
With Gajin Fujita showing a solo presentation of new paintings and drawings at LA Louver gallery for Frieze Los Angeles, the artist discusses his reverence for Japanese art history and pride for his identity as an L.A. native.
His paintings incorporate graffiti language, traditional iconography drawn from Edo-period woodblock prints, and symbols that murmur insider’s references to West Coast culture. Fujita’s latest works, on view for the first time at Frieze Los Angeles, display refinements of technical skill and subject matter. With a mastery of materials and techniques, including spray paint (applied loosely and through intricately hand-cut stencils), paint markers, and gold leaf on wood panels, Fujita has created some of his most complex and ambitious paintings to date.
For more information visit the LA Louver gallery website.
