tarajosu | eta bar

highland park, california

Tarajosu infused his style with ETA, the hot new Brooklyn-inspired bar in Highland Park.

The artist focused on a statement piece near the entrance way and the ceiling of the bar itself. Two sets of gilded hands, both in prayer and outstretched, greet patrons and imbue a sense of welcoming and gratitude.

Beverages are enjoyed beneath three rays of coiled words in a style known “zen tangle”—and each word has a meaning to it. Whether the word holds meaning to the owners of the bar, or to Tarajosu himself, they range from an owner’s thesis to his children’s initials, and even include inspirational movie quotes. 

It’s not easy to spot them all, enabling each ETA experience with the chance of a new discovery… in more ways than one. The bar strives to be known for its unique libations, a place for patrons to go to try something new. Upon visiting, a recommended cocktail is the Penultimate World, which includes mescal, cucumber puree, green chartreuse and lime. 

ETA is open and located at: 5630 N. Figueroa Street in highland park, CAlifornia

Related Links: Los Angeles Times, LA Eater, LAist

tarajosu | colabs headquarters

los angeles, california

Tarajosu employed his favorite color combination—black and gold—to instill a sense of ancient tribal wisdom at COlabs HQ. 

His work is heavily influenced by past cultures, with a fine-tuned focus on the intelligence passed down by our ancestors through the ages. Dreams play an integral role in granting further access to this information. The style often comes from REM-induced dreamscapes that seem eerily familiar, like memories from a past life. 

Countless hours were spent meticulously fine-tuning this highly detailed work, an intricacy ingratiated with Tarajosu’s imprint, which he hopes is capable of generating a lasting impression on observers. He hopes this power will spur others to take action rather than simply inspire them, citing a spur to change as more impactful than finding personal meaning at this point. 

The result of this work seems to harness the reins of the subconscious, greasing the wheels before it begins grinding its gears. 

tarajosu | frogtown art walk

atwater village, california

Tarajosu channeled the divine feminine for his mural, Lakshmi, at Stage THIS! production studios in the Frogtown neighborhood of Los Angeles. His imagery fuses forms across many cultures: Indian Hindu women, Mayan warriors, King Tuts burial coffin, and South American carnival masquerade attire. 

These influences helped form a piece with the underlying energy of mother and protector, an empowering work reflective of the goddess energy inherent within every woman. Tarajosu hopes to further cement positive imagery of women, in strong opposition to their typical portrayal in the media. He hopes the strength of his work will spark conversation and a shift in perspective. 

Lakshmi was produced by visual art consulting firm COlabs and created with 100% recycled acrylic paint donated by the Azusa-based company, acrylatex. Tarajosu feels that the use of recycled paint raises awareness as to how and where unused paint can be safely donated. He hopes this will inspire people to brainstorm more ways to reuse materials in a way that is economical and environmentally beneficial. Lakshmi is Tarajosu’s largest mural to date.