Ruben Rojas | |
---|---|
Nationality | American |
Movement | Contemporary art, urban art, design |
Website | rubenrojas |
Ruben Rojas is a Santa Monica-based contemporary artist and designer known for his "Live Through Love" campaign and for co-founding the nonprofit company, Beautify Earth.[1][2][3] In 2017, Rojas was included in CBS Los Angeles' list of "Best Los Angeles Artists You Need To Know About," and later that year, the artist gave a TEDx talk about the regenerative power of outdoor art.[4][5]
Rojas grew up in Panorama City and was a three sport athlete.[6] Early in his career, Rojas trained to become an orthopedic surgeon and worked in real estate.[7] After a decade feeling unfulfilled working in the corporate world, Rojas shifted his focus to art.[8][9]
In 2013, Evan Meyer and Rojas co-founded the nonprofit to visually enrich their Santa Monica neighborhood and give back to their community through murals.[3] The organization was initially inspired by the spirit of the Burning Man festival and the revitalization efforts of the Wynwood Art District in Miami, Florida.[10] To date, the organization has facilitated the placement of over 120 murals in Santa Monica and has expanded to other locations such as Seattle, Brooklyn, Mexico and India.[3][11] Beautify Earth has worked with clients including Zappos, American Express and Lexus who are interested in enhancing their viewership and social media engagement through outdoor art.[3]
In 2013, the same year he co-founded Beautify Earth, Rojas conceptualized his "Live Through Love" art and design campaign.[12] Rojas' intention for the project is to use art as a tool in service of social and personal change.[13] His signature style involves repetition of the word love in different colors in his handwriting.[14]
In 2019, Rojas launched his apparel line, promoting the same messages of his murals through clothing.[15] In 2020, Rojas' mask design was highlighted in the Los Angeles Times as being a fashionable way to stay safe during the COVID-19 pandemic.[16]
In 2019, Rojas created a T-shirt with a message that reads, "You can't quarantine love," donating proceeds to the United Way Los Angeles Pandemic Relief Fund.[17] That same year, the artist partnered with ABC7 to design a shirt to raise awareness and funds for people experiencing food insecurity, donating sale proceeds to the Feed SoCal campaign.[18]
Rojas has partnered with several brands, including BMW, Toms Shoes, Reebok and Our/Los Angeles distillery.[8][12][19]