“Forbidden Art”

Artist Eriberto Oriol is a maverick in his art. He has been photographing graffiti for many years; long before it was trendy, hip, safe, and accepted in the fine art world. It is the spontaneity of graffiti’s energy of being in the moment that has attracted him to this art form.
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For some graffiti is a forbidden art form since some of the murals are in remote out of the way places in areas where only a few people would dare to travel. It is also NOT accepted and banned as fine art by many in the established art world.
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Yet, as in most things that are forbidden, banned, or prohibited, it is what helps make Eriberto’s work in graffiti, like he is providing a FORBIDDEN FRUIT to the arts.
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This mural is a collaboration of graffiti artists Nychos and Saturno.

Check some of the “Big Bau Wow’s” of the streets of Los Angeles in “WE GOT GRAF” archives page at ForbiddenArtLA.com.

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Photos by Eriberto Oriol. Text and posting by Angelica Oriol.

ForbiddenArtLA.com.

#graffiti #graffitiart #nychos #lagraffiti #saturno

Los Angeles Underground Metro

Eriberto Oriol gets cover Spring issue
THESE STREETS Magazine

For photographer Eriberto Oriol, being down in the bowels of the city was an incredible experience. Damp and dim except where the rays of light were able to pass through a passage above here and there, might be like to enter Dante’s 9 circles of hell.
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He almost got decapitated when the cable pulling the drilling caterpillar machine snapped and whizzed by a couple of inches away from his head.

He is amazed at the ingenuity it took to build the whole underground Metro system and pleased that “These Streets” magazine selected his Los Angeles Underground Metro series for the cover and some of the photos to be featured in the Spring 2020 issue.
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Eriberto feels great to be in the company of talented artists featured in the magazine including his son Estevan Oriol.

Promo and photo by Angelica Oriol

 

SPRING ISSUE COVER FOR THESE STREETS MAGAZINE

Get your copy at These Streets Magazine

ForbiddenArtLA.com – Los Angeles Underground Metro Series link

 

The “Lunatics have taken over the asylum”

“The Thinker” by Eriberto Oriol

Have you ever wonder if the “Lunatics have taken over the asylum” and we are now left just dancing with Madmen?

A predator’s mind is full of fear and insecurity. They can find no peace in a state of flux so they thrive on feeding its victims more of the unknown to control and to take away the right to speak.

The uncertainty goes up with every breaking news story and unanswered question. It all adds to the stress and anxiety of our collective mind. Yes, the “Lunatics have taken over the asylum” and we are now left dancing with Madmen.

This photo is called“The Thinker.” It was taken of one of the public restrooms right in the heart of downtown San Diego, Horton Plaza and known as “America’s Finest City.”

The title of the photo was taken from the most important sculptor of the modern era François Auguste René Rodin sculpture, “The Thinker.”

Text and Posting by Angelica Oriol

Lyrics of the song below.

Fun Boy Three music group popularize the song The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum from 1981 to 1983 and the attribution to Rowland is reported to have occurred at least as early as 1926, in the work A Million and One Nights by Terry Ramsaye.

YouTube Video of The Lunatics Song

Free Dictionary link: https://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/lunatic

“The Lunatics have taken over the asylum” Lyrics

I see a clinic full of cynics
Who wants to twist the peoples’ wrist
They’re watching every move we make
We’re all included on the list

The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum

No nuclear the cowboy told us
And who am I to disagree
‘Cause when the madman flips the switch
The nuclear will go for me

The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum

I’ve seen the faces of starvation
But I just can not see the point
‘Cause there’s so much food here today
That no one wants to take away

The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my right to choose

The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my point of view
The lunatics have taken over the asylum

The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my dignity
Take these things away from me

The lunatics have taken over the asylum
The lunatics have taken over the asylum, take away my family

Take away the right to speak
The lunatics have taken over the asylum take away my point of view

Take away my right to choose

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Lynval Golding / Terry Hall / Neville Staples

The Lunatics lyrics © BMG Rights Management

 

 

“L A Originals” on Netflix this Friday

Angelica and I are very proud of both Estevan and Cartoon, as they have been unwavering in pursuit of their goals against many odds.

This Friday 10th on Netflix Worldwide Premier of “LA Originals.” Thank you for your support.

Photo by Eriberto Oriol
ForbiddenArtLA.com

After you watch the “L A Originals” you can come back and leave your comments.

“The Forgotten?” by artist Eriberto Oriol

“The Forgotten?” is part of the Crazy Sauce / Salsa Loca is a series of new works by artist Eriberto Oriol.

“The Forgotten?” by Eriberto Oriol

The beauty of this series is the spontaneity and characters that seem to reflect bewilderment from the incoherence events of our contemporary world of politics, economics and environmental crisis.

 

The dream is to be able, to tell the TRUTH, and forge a new pathway for the world that is about human kindness, caring, sharing and creating a world that never was before.

Crazy Sauce / Salsa Loca
text by Angelica Oriol

Who is Eriberto Oriol?

Artist Activist making a Difference

About Eriberto Oriol?

Eriberto is an Artist/Activist.

As an activist, he advocated for environmental, economic, and health services for underprivileged communities.

As an artist, he has been an artist for some time and has contributed to the arts in various different ways.

• Sotheby Auction House Director of Contemporary Art and History in New York, added to her art collection with some of Eriberto’s artwork.

 

• Founded two fulltime medical and one dental clinic, which are still providing services to thousands. Linda Vista Clinic and Logan Heights Health Care Center, San Diego CA.

 

• As co-founder of the Pico House Gallery and Art Director in Los Angeles, he helped many young artists’ careers and contributed to the arts in general through his art.

 

• Produced the first major graffiti exhibit in Los Angeles and the First Tribute to Alfredo Siqueiros that drew international media attention and artistic acclaim.

 

 

 

Mural on Echo Park Street near Sunset Blvd

Born in Indio, CA, Eriberto Oriol grew up in the San Diego neighborhood of Barrio Logan before relocating to Los Angeles. Los Angeles has been his home now for over three decades. He has expanded his internationally recognized portfolio of photographs of LA Latino street life, street art and graffiti, a talent he would later pass down to son Estevan. He and his wife Angelica Gonzalez-Oriol are enthusiastic, proactive supporters of the local art scene.

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Contact:  eribertoartx@yahoo.com

310.424.0329

Eriberto and his wife Angelica

                   

 

 

Contact:
eribertoartx@yahoo.com
310.424.0329

 

“They’re There for The Taking” painting by Eriberto Oriol

“They’re There for The Taking” is one of the social commentaries paintings in “Are We Dancing with A Madman?” series by artist Eriberto Oriol.

While women have much to contribute, for the most part, global societies have assigned restrictive roles that limit their potential. In this metaphorical painting, the artist is being brutally honest in questioning the predator/prey type relationship.

The furry body emphasizes how women are viewed as an animal and are subject to the hunt whether they like it or not.

The insect-like image symbolizes the pest that means to destroy or harm. Is this a hopelessness human behavior of a patriarchal world? Can we get over the repugnance correlation of women like animals in the food chain?

Artist Edgar Degas once said, “Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.” If this painting facilitates a discussion that acknowledges this behavior, maybe we can empower ourselves and make plans to stand differently in this world.

Save these DATES:

June 14 and June 28, 2019

Nocturnal paintings in the series “Dancing with a Madman” by artist Eriberto Oriol

Nocturnal is a beautifully textured background painting with the color blue being more dominant. The main character not only has four breasts but it also has two penises. What could this artist have been thinking? Eriberto does not try to find meaning in his work; he just gets in his creative zone and allows his characters to emerge.

In his paintings, he seems to be embracing the symbols of ancient civilizations and mythology that have influenced him and his art. Even though breasts and penises seemed to have been a taboo in our society, these symbols are sacred icons of mythology and of goddesses in other cultures, for instance, Japan has a Penis Festival and in Bhutan penises are worship. Click on links for information on the festival in Japan and Bhutan.

Some cultures have made the goddess of women who had more than two breasts. The Hatuibwari dragon of Melanesia had four pendulous breasts, which serve to feed and to nourish all the living. The goddess Meenakshi at the Temple Madurai had three breasts; she symbolized courage and power that challenged sexist notions of the world. The people of India believe she was bold, brave and considered herself equal to men.

 

In this painting, you will see that Eriberto is also using penises not as phallic symbols, but as symbols of power. He believes that the three Calaveras speak more about the violence and death of people caused by the abuse of power. It speaks of human truths, fears, and nightmares of seemly invisible erased souls begging not to be forgotten. He hopes that these powerful characters startle people out of their daily routine and question the sanity of greed and power and appreciate the art of artists in tune with the creative force of the universe.

Text and photo by Angelica Oriol

Are we dancing with a Madman? – Perros painting by artist Eriberto Oriol

“Perros” is one of the social commentary paintings in the series “Dancing with a Madman” by artist Eriberto Oriol.

In this painting, “Perros” Eriberto is not talking about the furry animals some call best friends nor would he insult these creatures to have the character traits that these dogs symbolized in this painting.

Puppies, chicks, and babies in general, are not born knowing how to hate or how to be violent. They are not just operating out of instinct, they are taught to be violent. However, these animals have been used as vicious weapons for mass destruction and brutal cruelty throughout history around the world. “The Dogs of the Conquest” by John Grier Varner and Jeannette Johnson Varner is just one of the stories of the horrific acts of cruelty and violence committed on those who had the resources the empire wanted.

The human-like faces in this painting seem to be communicating haunting moments of human life with a sort of an apocalyptic flare that is defiant and yet provoking.

In this painting, the spots just like in the cheetah distract their prey and camouflage them so they can blend or hide; the spots on the dogs in this image seem to represent the mask of camouflage of individuals who try to conceal their dominance and violence over their prey.

I think when artists discuss these dark moments it is because they see a giant alarm screaming what is blatantly oblivious. However, for some, this violence is invisible. All around the world, brutal violence is occurring because the empire wants the indigenous people’s resources and their land. Maybe this is the viciousness that the “Perros” painting is trying to communicate.

Humanity has been bestowed with the greatest gift of all time, imagination, for it has the power to change the world. For Eriberto, the dream is that the skies would get bluer, birds would start to sing again, and the glaciers would stop melting. In Spanish we say, “El Sueno del artista, es que el cielo se vuelva mas azul, los pajaros comienzen a cantar de nuevo, y los glaciares dejen de derretirese.

Text by Angelica Oriol

Are we dancing with a Madman?

This is a series of paintings with social commentaries that speak of the rage of power, the screams of the victim and invisible erased souls begging not to be forgotten. “The Rage of Power” is one of the social commentaries paintings in the series “Dancing with a Madman” by artist Eriberto Oriol.
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When I first saw this painting it made me think of the main character’s rage and how women have been more vulnerable in war, politics, and power just because they have a pussy, at least this is my interpretation.

Of course, this is not what this artist set out to paint; his images come from his creative zone that he allows to take charge and he just paints. In this powerful painting, the image speaks of the rage of power with an abrasive grab that symbolizes dominance and violence.
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He uses the color pink to tease the viewer into arousal and maybe to emphasize the power that these images represent. Eriberto knows that since the beginning of time, people with power and money have had a significant impact on society when they have allowed their greed and insecurity to get the best of them.
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Through his paintings, Eriberto is helping us see what others at times do not see. He allows the creativity of his imagination to be seen in his work. Historically that is what artists have done.
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Artists such as Francisco Goya’s etchings “Los Caprichos” and Pablo Picasso’s with “Guernica” documented some of the cruel and inhuman events of the war, greed, and power. Some felt that these bizarre paintings were a sign of madness, completely off the wall because they were different from everyone else’s. I would argue that these artists were really in tune with the creative force of the universe.
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SAVE THIS DATE: June 14, 2019
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Photos and text by Angelica Oriol