The photojournalist and film-maker behind La Vida Loca was gunned down and killed outside San Salvador where he had documented the Mara 18 gang on September 2nd. Brings home the less than romantic reality that surrounds his beautiful imagery.

These drawings by Patrick Lee really take me back to the Estevan Oriol gang photos from SB III/IV. Reminds me, anyone seen Sin Nombre yet? Worth a look?

MAIC’s crucifiied skinhead and (blurry, yes) jaw-lettering by Maneko…

Black Gordman, Preacher’s Lil Gal, See, Especial A Go Go

2003
ink and paint on vintage magazine

Dr Lakra is a tattoo artist living and working near Mexico City. In his parallel activities here, however, Dr Lakra transfers his draughtsmanship onto the idealised figures in 50’s Mexican magazines. Pin-up girls, wrestlers, beauties and cuties are tattooed and ‘enhanced’ in ink with bats, demons, spiders and the faces of pouting vixens. Like pertinent graffiti, the relative innocence of another era is politicised and the images are infused with a relish for the diabolical. Beautification or social identification, the works are a carnival of the grotesque. Kitschy erotica, ancient ritual, and hallucinogenic visions are fused in a collage of ideologies.

Text and images found on http://www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk/

Andrew May introduced me to Maneko while we were sitting in the cold night of September, on the last day of the convention. Maneko is easily in my top 3 favourite artists when it comes to letterings & writings. For all the latino & gangsta style lovers, go and check him, his pieces speak for themselves!
By the way, the vegan restaurant that occupies a derelict bus at the Truman Brewery rules!