Robert Vargas once told me that he turns “the street into my studio” — and he meant that literally. Vargas became known for drawing portraits in the streets during the now-gone Downtown L.A. Artwalk, and he would often garner crowds of hundreds, surrounding him as he worked to capture Angelenos from all walks of life on the crowded sidewalks of the city.
I’ve been writing about him for years, watching his popularity and his canvases grow in depth and scale. But seeing his passion for his current project, a huge mural of L.A. Dodgers’ pitcher Fernando Valenzuela in his own neighborhood of Boyle Heights, has been a multi-layered source of pride.
It’s about pride for Los Angeles and our team (during the World Series, no less) and pride for Latino culture, something that in this political climate means more than ever. Valenzuela, who died just last week before getting to see this majestic tribute, meant so much to so many of my generation and Vargas’ piece is a reminder for people of all ages of his massive impact. It’s also about pride in one of our own, a born and raised Mexican-American artist who has always thought big, and as of late, has been getting big recognition in return. In 2021, Los Angeles officials declared Sept. 8 “Robert Vargas Day” and dubbed the intersection of 1st and State streets in Boyle Heights as “Robert Vargas Square.”
As Vargas works furiously to complete the mural called “Fernandomania Forever,” which follows his interactive likeness of Shohei Ohtani in Little Tokyo, he speaks with me about the L.A. Dodgers piece and more.
How did this mural come about?
This mural was always going to be a two part series –the first being Shohei Ohtani– kicking off the season and unveiled the day before the season. And the second mural was always going to be of Fernando Valenzuela, to close the season.
These murals are all about representation and unity, bridging cultures together. So this mural was already set. The press conference happened last Monday and the unveiling date was planned for November 1, on Fernando’s birthday, as well as, culturally for the Day of the Dead. I had anticipated it being Game Six of the World Series, which [would have] fallen on that day as well. [UPDATE: the unveiling date has been changed to Sun., Nov. 3]
Was Fernando at the press conference?
No, because he’s been sick. He actually left the Dodgers organization to deal with his health and got immediately into the hospital about three weeks ago. He was a Dodgers broadcaster for a Spanish station.
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Did you know him personally?
I didn’t know him personally, but this mural -just like the Ohtani mural- is about representation. It’s about painting people in these murals that look like the communities that they live in, as a way of showing acceptance. Of course, this mural takes on an even bigger significance because of his passing, which has been really, really tough, but at the same time therapeutic. I think the community is coming out and processing his death in an amazing way. People are coming out and creating, making these flowers for the altar, which is traditionally in celebration of the Day of the Dead, except this entire mural surface, the whole building, is now the altar.
Right now, at the bottom of the building people are bringing flowers and offerings, candles. I’m looking down at about 50 people right now in both directions… they’re stopping traffic, waving and honking…
So you are 50 feet up on scaffolding as we speak?
Yes, I got my left hand on the phone and the right hand on the brush.. .and the building itself is framed in flowers. So this has become probably one of the world’s biggest altars.
That’s beautiful. What is that building? Is it housing?
Yes it’s housing. I approached them about this a while back, and we came to terms on it. So the whole process for it has been great, and the community’s outpouring of support has been amazing. I mean, it was great before I started it and as I began painting it, and pretty much into the second day and then the day I started painting it, later that evening is when he passed.
It very emotional, I’m sure. But you must feel really good to know you’re immortalizing him now.
Yeah, I was always coming from a place of love, a place of intention and gratitude. So for me the message still stays the same. It’s just amplified.
Was he aware of this mural that you are creating?
Yes. So I threw out the first pitch on September 8, which is my ‘day’ in the City of LA. I was already at the stadium, so I got to tell him a little bit about it before he left us. He was aware that he was getting this huge honor that’s going to be here forever, and people can see it when they drive by the freeway. The 101 is completely jam packed right in front of me right now…. This is in Boyle Heights, just just two blocks from Robert Vargas Square, just down the street, located at Mariachi Plaza. It’s near the First street exit.
What do you have to say about Fernando’s impact and significance to the Latino community in LA?
I mean, his impact is really immeasurable. There was so much resentment towards Dodger Stadium by the Mexican-American community for the kind of displacement of so many families there, and there’s still a lot of people that are really upset about that, rightfully so.
But Fernando coming to the team really gave, I think, Mexican Americans, the kind of permission to be able to go to the games and root for someone who looked like them. Seeing him out there kicking butt and doing amazing was like a representation of the culture and the community. It’s very similar to the way you see people today in the AAPI community, especially the Japanese-American community so proud of Shohei and how you go to Dodger stadium, and you see a good, almost 30%- 40% Japanese fans now. Of course, the other half is predominantly Mexican and Latin.
So you’re saying the Latino fandom wasn’t as big before Fernando? He came to the Dodgers in 1981 right? Growing up as a Latina in L.A., I feel like my community was always pro-Dodgers, but I do remember it really exploded when Fernando came.
It’s hard to believe now, but yeah, there was a time when Latinos were boycotting the Dodgers. But once he came to the team, all of that really changed. So the Dodgers themselves, the organization owes a big debt to Fernando for how he changed the fan base there. But more than just anything, he actually went out there and earned it and had one of the most amazing streaks in the history of baseball, and then his rookie year, he played in the World Series— and it was against the Yankees! And now Shohei’s first year is also against the Yankees!
Robert Vargas will unveil his completed mural in Boyle Heights this Sunday, Nov. 3. For more info and details, see his Instagram @therobertvargas
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