Los Angeles street artist hijack Known for his stencil artwork that criticizes society’s sociopolitical issues, he quietly emerges at night as an infamous figure. street artist Leaving his aesthetic observations across the urban terrain for all to ponder.
was born and raised in Los Angeles, hijack Of city street art scene For over 10 years, he has created a unique kind of graffiti that fuses pop art fragments with graffiti. His gallery debuted in 2013 at London’s Mead his Kearny Fine Art Gallery His show attracted attention and was well-received, and his fame was quickly established, bringing him to the street art world. carved my name.
I am inspired by everything that influences society and culture. Some issues take precedence over others.I also like to keep things light, with a bit of sarcasm
hijack
Still, his journey into the art world began young.his father is a street artist Mr. brainwashHe has been surrounded by some of the world’s most famous street artists, including Banksy, Invader, and Shepard Fairey, and has honed his skills ever since.think outside the boxheadline booth at Art Miami.
Internationally acclaimed for bridging street art and contemporary art. A genius in his own right, highly prized by collectors for works that can be seen all over the world. He is an artist that I would like to keep an eye on in the future. Art was able to catch up with him shortly after his Miami solo show.
Q: Hijack! Have you been well? Thank you for your time. Please introduce yourself for those who don’t know me.
hijack: Hijack is a Los Angeles-based street artist who has ventured into the world of contemporary art, working in a variety of mediums from oil to spray paint, and enjoys painting on canvas, walls, and sometimes trash.
Q: You started your art career as an underground street artist, stenciling the streets of Los Angeles at night. Can you tell us about your experience as an artist living in Los Angeles, how you got started in art, and what role art has played in your life?
hijack: I was born and raised in LA. My father, his Mr. Brainwash, is a street artist/pop artist, so working with him in his studio gave me his knowledge and expertise from an early age. Art has always been part of my life. I was in elementary school when his father started photographing street artists with his own elements. This was the earliest time in my life that I can remember having art and ultimately inspired me to pursue a career in art.
Q: Your work has a running theme that blends elements of fine art and street art to present visual commentary on social and political issues. Tell us more about your artistic practice, what inspires you, and how you create your work.
hijack: I am inspired by everything that influences society and culture. Some issues take precedence over others. I also like to keep things light by joking a little here and there. I am visually inspired by my city and the urban art and culture it fosters. Sometimes driving around my city inspires creativity.
Q: You grew up surrounded by many famous street artists such as Invader, Banksy, Shepard Fairey and many others. Plus, you’ll get a firsthand look at the creative process of his “Exit Through the Gift Shop” star, Mr. Brainwash’s son and one of the world’s most prolific and successful street artists. Has this experience influenced your practice or work in any way?
hijack: I don’t have a formula for my process, but constants include oil and spray paint. Some days I work on woodcuts, other days on canvas. Sometimes I go outside and work on murals. Other days, I just sketch on my iPad. I don’t know how I will approach the next show.
Q: At the upcoming exhibition “Think Outside The Frame” at the famous Art Miami, the entire booth is showing new work. Can you elaborate on what visitors can experience about this and how this exhibit at Art Miami came to life?
hijack: Street art meets museum masterpieces – a dichotomy of life.
The world’s street artists don’t have the platforms they need to launch their careers. This booth was created to highlight this journey.
The high-end details and aspects of these masterpieces contrast with the beautiful and often overlooked community of street art. While simultaneously showing the complexity and beauty of contemporary art with a twist.
This metaphorical character who “hijacks” the modern field is the heart of all of us. Whatever your background, this character is the voice of reason!
This booth helps expand the mindset of street artists who may not have a platform. The juxtaposition of these two styles creates a symbiotic relationship, beautifully blending both types of masterpieces.
The graffiti side of the booth has a fundamental rhetoric of conforming to social norms to reach parity with the classics presented on the gallery/museum side!
To make these masterpieces a little more relatable and relatable, the characters put their own twists on the classics. Reconstructing these works that have been around for years makes them more accessible to the general public.
The beauty in the eyes of the beholder…
Q: The studio is the sacred temple of creativity. Name three must-haves in your studio.
hijack: Oil paint, spray paint, canvas, coffee. Once these needs are met, you can start creating.
Q: What’s next after hijacking?
hijack: It’s been a productive year and it looks like we’re finally over the pandemic. While there are still many divisions and tensions in our society spurred by the pandemic, 2023 will be a year of healing. I’m working on some new paintings for the Palm Beach Art Fair in March.
Q: Finally, what is art to you?
hijack: To enrich our lives and inspire us. Sometimes it teaches us something, sometimes it decorates our homes, it decorates our streets, and more importantly, it gives a voice to those who don’t have one.
Instagram: @hijack
©2022 Hijack
Len is a curator and writer at Art Plugged, a contemporary platform inspired by great artists and their passion for showcasing their work, and has an MFA in Curation at Goldsmiths, London.
