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Murals from Robert Vargas cover buildings all over Los Angeles — and the world.
From his tribute to Shohei Ohtani in Little Tokyo, to his dedication to Altadena at Fair Oaks Burger, the Boyle Heights native says he wants to give back to the community — and hopefully inspire more Latino kids to pursue a career in art.
In 2021, the city of L.A. declared Sept. 8 as Robert Vargas Day.
The renowned artist is celebrating by hosting a career day event for local kids and teens. For the last five years, he’s invited other creatives who specialize in different mediums like music and dance to come out and show parents that a career in the arts is possible.
“That’s why I think it’s so important for me to be visible and present in that space because I’m also an example to those parents… they get to see someone who grew up there who looks just like them,” he said. “You can still persevere.”
LA artist Robert Vargas on his new mural and his bid to break a world record
Artist Robert Vargas discusses his latest project, Nourishing the Community, at LAist studios.
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Gillian Moran Perez/LAist
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Vargas said he’s planning to give away about a thousand sketchbooks, which he calls “the gateway to expressing yourself.” And in the leadup to the event, Vargas visits local elementary and junior high schools to invite them to participate.
He said he can relate to their experience as an “inner city kid going to LAUSD schools,” who graduated from the L.A. County High School for the Arts.
“There’s a lot of amazing talent that’s coming out of those areas and specifically in Boyle Heights,” he said. “It’s really a special place.”
Vargas has also been keeping busy with his own career. He recently unveiled a new three-story-tall mural at Project Angel Food in Hollywood called “Nourishing the Community.” He said it was inspired by the people working in the kitchen and those who serve in the community.
He even incorporated a woman who is a vendor nearby and used her hands in the mural for the centerpiece, which Vargas described as “like a matriarchal goddess of corn.”
“I don’t really make sketches leading up to a mural,” he said. “I kind of immerse myself in that space, have conversations with people around me, and let that inform my process.”
The piece took about a week to complete, with Vargas working nonstop overnight to complete it in time for a community unveiling ceremony. It also just happened to be a heatwave, which presented its own challenges.
“The water-based paint dries pretty much on contact. So I went through tons of brushes,” he said. “The wall’s like a stove top, and I’m up high, closer to the sun.”
Vargas is also working on a new piece in downtown L.A. at 5th and Hill streets — his “opus mural” that could break a Guinness World Record. It will stand at 60,000-plus square feet and is being painted all freehand — no grids or projections.
The mural is called “Angelus,” combining the words “angel” and “us.” Vargas said it’s a tribute to Angelenos and that it incorporates contemporary people, to help tell “our story of today.”
“I think it’s a responsibility as an artist to comment on the times and use your work for the greater,” he said.
Gillian Morán Pérez contributed to this story.