March 9, 2021 - Artist/Muralist Robert Vargas

The Late Night Happy Hour with Andy and Brian Kamenetzky

One of the things making LA special is its extensive mural culture. Across every neighborhood in the city, people can find a variety of public art chronicling the LA's history, culture, citizenry and more. Robert Vargas is a big part of that, responsible for a diverse group of murals across Los Angeles.

We start on his upbringing in Boyle Heights, a hub of mural culture in the city. When did he find art? What type of support did he get from his family? Why did he turn to murals as an expression of his talent?

Why is mural culture so important to L.A.? Is it a different process with different objectives when completing one in Boyle Heights vs. the Valley vs. the Westside?

We talk about his Kobe murals, the newest at the Zambezi off Jefferson in Santa Monica. What inspired him? What kind of images did he choose, and why?

We move from Kobe, one of the most visible people this city has ever seen, to his inclusion of a member of its most invisible community. For a mural downtown, he started by painting a homeless man named Craig. Why is it so important to have representation of people like that, who so few people ever really see?

Finally, on Friday we had 710 ESPN's Steve Mason on the show, who showed us two oil paintings from his oil painting phase. We have Robert review them.

Finally, we discuss Meyers Leonard and the anti-Semitic slur he used Tuesday. What could/should the fallout be?