Alfonso Gonzalez Jr. is an artist from Los Angeles whose work focuses on overlooked surfaces across the city. Gonzalez’s art was inspired by the graffiti murals he grew up seeing in his neighborhoods and by his father’s profession as a sign painter.
Since his first solo show at Matthew Brown Gallery in Los Angeles, Gonzalez has participated in major exhibitions worldwide, including a solo presentation at Jeffrey Deitch in New York.
For Issue 13, Alfonoso is featured in conversation with Todd James Reas.
Full segment featured in Issue 13 of Living Proof Magazine
Have you always made art? When did you begin, and were your family members artists or artistic?
Making art is one of my earliest memories. I have always done it. My father is a sign painter who grew up in Tijuana and moved to East LA as a kid. He has been painting signs for over 40 years. When he arrived in Los Angeles from Mexico, the Chicano art movement was thriving. Through him I was exposed early to Chicano art, Mexican muralism, automotive airbrush painting, and commercial art.
My interest in art began with graffiti. Some of my earliest memories are of the territorial gang graffiti in Los Angeles in the early 1990s and its intimidating presence. I started tagging in elementary school and was painting in the streets by the time I was twelve.
After high school, I wanted to go to art school but did not have the money or the grades. I began painting signs to make a living. At first it was straightforward sign writing, then large outdoor advertisements. Painting hand painted billboards is where I really developed my skills. I was never the ultra skilled artist, but through daily work I developed the patience and discipline that allowed me to grow into the work I make today.
What have been your artistic influences, from your beginnings up to the present?
Besides my father’s work, graffiti and murals in my neighborhood were my first influences. David Alfaro Siqueiros was the first fine artist I remember discovering from a book at home.
In my early twenties, I met Antwan Horfee while he was in Los Angeles for a show. A year later, I went to Europe for the first time and we linked up in Paris. We painted graffiti together, and he introduced me to his studio practice. Seeing how someone with a similar background could channel that energy into the studio was really impactful.
Today, my friends influence me the most, along with contemporary artists whose exhibitions stay with me. Some of those are Anselm Kiefer, Ida Ekblad, Damián Ortega, Sterling Ruby, Masaomi Yasunaga, Lauren Halsey, and Rafa Esparza.
What is your work process like in the studio?
I usually work on around twenty things at a time. I know it sounds intense, but they are at different scales, from monumental pieces to really small works. Some of it is intuitive and process based, where I am exploring materials and seeing where things go. Other works are more direct, referencing something pre composed that I have already found.
Working this way helps me avoid procrastination. My procrastination is usually doodling on a piece, which gives me time to think and make decisions on the work that requires more thought, labor, and patience.
A lot of your work is inspired by Los Angeles. As the city changes, do you feel that some of your reference material is disappearing?
Yes. The rapid change in Los Angeles and the erasure of certain histories and cultures is a major part of why I do what I do. About ten years ago, when I started traveling more for work, I would leave LA and come home to see businesses closing and mom and pop shops disappearing. Their signage and murals would disappear with them.
Gentrification brings sterilization and whitewashing. Developers prioritize profit over character, unique architecture, and the cultural language of a neighborhood. Everything starts to look the same because it is the most cost effective approach. Watching this happen gave me a sense of responsibility and urgency to document and preserve what I find beautiful about my neighborhood and culture.
Read the full interview in Living Proof Magazine Issue 13, available on the Living Proof Patreon and Online Shop.
Photography by Eduardo Medrano Jr
