ARTISTS
When Los Angeles-based graffiti artist RETNA's work first appeared in
the mid-nineties, what made it stand apart from the rest was its
unique layering. His color palette was so intricate, so carefully
chosen, his pieces often looked to have been daubed on with a
paint-brush. Quite the achievement when you consider he was painting
on walls, trains, bridges, and freeway overpasses in the black of
night.Frequently inspired by images of females found in magazines and
corporate advertisements, RETNA is especially known for embellishing
existing fashion advertisements overlaying a classic style that
recalls Mayan and Egyptian hieroglyphs, and even Byzantine religious
mosaics. "Looking at pop culture and adapting it to a more classical
style is what I am known for as an artist," he says. "It's something I
learned to do on the street and I'm proud to now incorporate in my
paintings." |
