Estevan Oriol’s L.A. Fingers (Gold): Street Culture Via Iconic Urban Art
October 16, 2024
Estevan Oriol’s L.A. Fingers (Gold), emblazoned on an MTN Spray Paint Can, serves as a significant cultural artifact, encapsulating both the legacy of Los Angeles street culture and Oriol’s iconic role in shaping its visual language. The choice of the spray paint can as a canvas for Oriol’s L.A. Fingers graphic underscores its connection to urban art, graffiti, and street culture, establishing a direct link to the city’s sprawling walls and alleyways, which have become its artistic battlegrounds. Oriol, known for his work as a photographer and filmmaker documenting the raw and gritty side of Los Angeles, brings his signature style to this unique piece, merging fine art with the tools of the street artist’s trade.
The Iconography of the L.A. Fingers
The L.A. Fingers gesture is perhaps one of Oriol’s most recognizable works, having transcended its origin as a symbol of pride in Los Angeles street culture to become a universally recognized emblem of the city itself. This gesture, made by contorting the fingers into an “L” and an “A,” visually represents the initials of the city, but it carries far more weight than a simple hand sign. It embodies the unity, struggle, and resilience of the communities Oriol has spent his career documenting. The pose itself has been immortalized in countless forms—on T-shirts, in murals, and now on an MTN spray can, expanding its influence beyond the boundaries of traditional media.
The gold color of this particular edition adds another layer of symbolism. Gold, historically associated with wealth, prestige, and power, brings a sense of elevation to the gesture. In the context of Los Angeles, gold is also a nod to the city’s historical associations with the California Gold Rush and the dreams of prosperity that have drawn people to the city for generations. By casting the L.A. Fingers in gold, Oriol elevates this street symbol to a work of art, suggesting that the culture it represents is not only valuable but also timeless. The combination of this emblematic hand gesture with the metallic sheen creates a stark contrast between the everyday grit of L.A.’s streets and the aspirations of its people.
Graffiti and Street Art: The Medium of the Can
The decision to emblazon Oriol’s artwork on an MTN spray paint can is deeply significant. Spray paint cans are more than just tools in the street artist’s arsenal; they represent the very medium through which urban artists challenge public space, defy authority, and create their art. In Los Angeles, where the tension between street art and public space has long been a contested issue, the spray can takes on an almost mythic quality, representing rebellion, creativity, and expression. By choosing this medium, Oriol is acknowledging the role that graffiti and street art play in the city’s cultural narrative.
MTN spray paint cans are a well-known brand in the graffiti world, favored for their quality and durability. The use of an MTN can, therefore, also roots this piece in the world of authentic street art, rather than commodified or gentrified interpretations of the genre. It speaks directly to the subcultures that have been using these cans as instruments of self-expression for decades, bridging the gap between fine art and the raw, unfiltered creativity of graffiti.
Furthermore, the spray paint can as an object is inherently transient. It is a tool designed to be used and discarded, much like the murals and graffiti it creates, which are often subject to erasure or decay. Oriol’s choice to immortalize his *L.A. Fingers* on such a fleeting medium serves as a commentary on the ephemerality of street art and the culture that surrounds it. Yet, by rendering it in gold, Oriol adds a layer of permanence, suggesting that even though the medium may fade or be painted over, the message endures.
Estevan Oriol: Chronicler of Los Angeles
Estevan Oriol’s work is rooted in his deep connection to Los Angeles, particularly its subcultures. Born and raised in the city, Oriol began his career in the early ’90s as a tour manager for Cypress Hill and House of Pain, where he became immersed in the world of hip-hop and street culture. This experience would profoundly influence his work as a photographer and filmmaker. Oriol is known for his gritty, raw depictions of the streets, from gang members and tattoo artists to musicians and lowrider culture, all captured through his stark black-and-white photography.
His L.A. Fingers symbol, now emblazoned on this spray can, encapsulates the essence of his artistic mission—to document and give voice to the people and cultures often overlooked or marginalized. The hand gesture, which originated in the gang culture of Los Angeles, has transcended its origins to become a broader symbol of pride and resilience for the city’s inhabitants. Through his lens, Oriol has worked to change the narrative around these communities, showing their humanity, strength, and beauty, even in the face of adversity.
Impression
Oriol’s L.A. Fingers (Gold) on an MTN spray can represents a larger conversation about the role of street art in contemporary culture. Street art has long been a form of resistance, a way for marginalized voices to be heard in the urban landscape. In Los Angeles, a city defined by its diversity, street art has served as a platform for political, social, and cultural commentary. It is both a reflection of the city’s vibrant energy and a critique of its inequalities.
Oriol’s work is situated within this tradition. His photography and art often reflect the harsh realities of life in the streets, but they also celebrate the creativity and resilience of the people who inhabit these spaces. By placing his iconic L.A. Fingers on a spray paint can, he is paying homage to the artists who use this medium to tell their own stories. At the same time, he is elevating this form of expression, challenging the perception of graffiti and street art as ephemeral or lowbrow.
In a broader sense, L.A. Fingers (Gold) speaks to the commodification of street culture. In recent years, street art has been increasingly embraced by the mainstream art world, with artists like Banksy and Shepard Fairey achieving global recognition. Oriol’s choice to collaborate with MTN and release this piece in a limited edition reflects this tension between the underground roots of street art and its growing commercial appeal. The spray paint can, once a symbol of rebellion and illegality, has now become a collectible object, blurring the line between art and consumerism.
Estevan Oriol’s L.A. Fingers (Gold) on an MTN spray paint can is a powerful symbol of Los Angeles street culture, merging the worlds of fine art and graffiti. It celebrates the city’s resilience and creativity while also reflecting on the transient nature of street art and the evolving role of graffiti in contemporary culture. Oriol, through his iconic imagery and deep connection to the streets of L.A., has created a piece that transcends its medium, offering both a tribute to the city and a commentary on the enduring power of street culture. This work is not just a reflection of Los Angeles—it is a part of its cultural heartbeat.
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