The San Pedro native is unveiling a new exhibition called "Just My Imagination," his first solo show that features his largest body of work ever.
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"I started out doing graffiti when I was a kid, then I started going to car shows, airbrushing T-shirts, fell in love with lowrider cars," he said.
Mister Cartoon, whose real name is Mark Machado, has created murals in places like Paris, London and Tokyo. For 30 years, his art has reflected Chicano street culture.
Then, he went into painting barbershop windows and eventually diving into the world of tattoos, inking up famous celebrities like Kobe Bryant, Snoop Dogg and Eminem.
His new show is reflecting his working-class upbringing and the emotions he felt growing up in Los Angeles in the 80s, 90s and 2000s.
"At first, when I came to measure the gallery, it seemed a little overwhelming," he said. "I looked at all those blank canvases stacked up and they looked back at me, telling me to paint them."
It took Mister Cartoon six months to complete the entire exhibit. His artwork is showcased on metal and traditional canvases as well as a car and he airbrushed all the works using automotive paint.
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"His style is synonymous with Los Angeles, what he represents, what he shows, his paintings, his tattoos, his murals, his illustration, the clothing he's put out," said Roger Gastman, founder of BEYOND THE STREETS & CONTROL Gallery. "It's the first time you'll ever be able to walk into a space and see only Mister Cartoon and 20+ new paintings from him."
You can check out Mister Cartoon's gallery Wednesday through Sunday at the BEYOND THE STREETS & CONTROL Gallery on North La Brea Avenue. It runs through July 16.
"A lot of art galleries are real posh, you've got to have gone to this university to fit in, this art circle, but this is disruption of the norm and we love that," said Machado.
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