Untitled (Abstract Characters) by Shaka Gaston

Shaka Gaston has been part of the ECF Art Centers since 2009 and working at the South LA studio. He has made an impression in the studios not only for his rough and vibrant aesthetic, but also for his vivid and energetic personality. Working primarily in mixed media, Gaston’s work is both messy and orderly, vacillating between abstraction and stark portraiture. The subjects of his portraits are often depicted as having intense gazes and are rendered in short and sharp lines; they appear ghostly and otherworldly figures that compel viewers to confront a kind of intensity that is often so rare in social settings. Although Gaston’s work can be viewed as a proposition towards engaging with the uncomfortable and unfamiliar, the artist himself is known for his lighthearted attitude inside and outside of the studio. He loves to tell jokes, spends hours a day practicing choreography from iconic Michael Jackson performances, and loves to talk about food - his favorite in particular: corn dogs.

“I like Michael Jackson. I like to do art like paint and draw and stuff. I like sitting at home. I watch stuff like TV, wrestling. Sometimes I scream during wrestling. I like to scream -- I don’t know why I like to work on my own. I draw about … anything Mostly Michael Jackson cause I’m a fan you know. Number one fan. I got the videos at home that someone made for me like Beat It, Thriller, Bad. I like Off the Wall, I like all of it. And that’s it That’s all I like.”

-Shaka Gaston