Curyj – Art of Rob

Love and Protect: Mural Series in Oakland Chinatown

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure of painting alongside some OGs and young artists of both African American and Asian descent. We were organized by Cece Carpio (TYS Collective) , Tommy Wong (Civic Design Studios), and w/ the help of hella folks like Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice (CURYJ). We got down to show solidarity and to demonstrate to our local community that we cannot be divided by white supremacy. We have long had each others backs, and we will continue to. Both Black folks, Asian Americans, and the organizing or artists community all need a reminder sometimes and this was therapeutic to make some dope art around the idea of solidarity.

Here’s the official statement from the flyer.

Love and Protect: Mural Series in Oakland Chinatown

Bay Area visual artists of Asian and Black descent are producing a series of mobile public art murals in Oakland Chinatown for those impacted by Asian hate crimes. On Saturday, April 10th local artists will gather at Madison Park starting at 10 am to paint large canvas works that can travel for community events and public display. This project is in collaboration with Chinatown Coalition and we are outreaching to seniors and community members in the neighborhood. We acknowledge that the global health and economic pandemic are amplified by systemic injustices that disproportionately hurt immigrants and communities of color. Love and Protect is a condemnation of violence and a commitment to uplift, nourish, fortify and pay homage to our communities so that when we rise, we rise up together.

Artists Cece Carpio of Trust Your Struggle Collective and Tommy Wong of Civic Design Studio and Good Good Eatz have brought together local artists who are deeply rooted in the fight for racial and environmental justice. Emory Douglas and Joan Tarika Lewis, who are revolutionary artists and historical members of the Black Panther Party, bring visibility to the long history of Black and Asian unity. Robert Liu-Trujillo, Elaine Chu, Miguel “Bounce” Perez, Eric Norberg, and Karen Seneferu & Malik Seneferu are contributing their art and deep ties to social justice work. Ming Mur-Ray and Elokin Orton Cheung who are art teachers in Oakland’s Chinatown are bringing their students to help paint. Youth artists Deanna Brownfield and Lauryn Marshall from from the Black Cultural Zone are also bringing their vision and perspective.

Check out these photos from Barni Qaasim of Curyj

Emory Douglas & Cece Carpio

Karen Seneferu

Elaine (Twin Walls Mural Company)

Lauryn Marshall

Pieces by Cece Carpio & Elaine Chu

Harrison Street Senior Art Workshop

We couldn’t make it happen w/o the help of homies volunteering time & support. Here are folks from Curyj, Oakland Chinatown Coalition

Follow Civic Design Studio , Cece Carpio, or myself for more fotos!

Here are a few more from Joe Keefe

Night time packing up the canvases

Close up of the two women (Asian & Black standing together)

Madison park was poppin w/ a bunch of artists

Here’s the crew of artists and homies helping to document and take down the art. Shout out to Han and his crew, Kerri, etc.

Dig this? Check out Asians for Black Lives

April 13, 2021

in General

This is a poster illustration I created for CURYJ in Oakland, which stands for Communities United for Restorative Youth Justice. Here’s some of the process for this piece. This piece was created for several purposes and I worked with the staff to illustrate an image of Curyj staff and youth planting new life in the form of their organizing for justice. Having spent a little time working in juvenile justice the issues they work on are super needed as it is easy to fall into the pipeline that leads to life in prison. There are so many traps for youth of color, so it is nice to see a group of adults and youth work to pass laws, influence change in their city. and to provide connection to healing and indigenous ways. The poster also has the faces of elders who have passed away looking over the young people.

CURYJ does some important work assisting young people who’ve been in the juvenile justice system, and keeping kids out of the system by exposing them to healing, social justice, and organizing. To support their work please visit them HERE.

February 24, 2019

in General

Furqan’s First Flat Top UPDATE 8-Photos from the book release

This past month, I hosted a book release for “Furqan’s First” at the East Arts Alliance’s Cafe Cultura in East Oakland. There were lots of kids, some awesome parents, and the authors (Ann Berlak, Kati Cepeda, and Aya de Leon) I invited came through to read to the little ones.

These are some of the photos my wife took.