For Mexican art fans, the name David Siqueiros carries a lot of weight. In the 20th century, David Alfaro Siqueiros revolutionized the muralist genre with epic renderings of cultural icons and political activism. And in the 21st century, his great-grandson (and namesake) David Siqueiros is carrying on the tradition. Touching upon modern trends like gaming and eSports. In fact, the younger Siqueiros recently made headlines with his unique Azteca designs for the LA Gladiators Overwatch League jersey.
We had the opportunity to speak with David about his inspirations, family legacy and live “Zocalo” event. The latter of which involves mural painting during a LA Gladiators watch party.
‘LL: There is obviously a big artistic legacy with your family. Can you share a bit about your professional background?
David: Yeah, I come from a large Mexican family of artists and very creative people. I liked art a lot growing up, but actually started as a computer programmer out of high school. I was good at it, but soon found it to be completely boring. So I branched out into design, creating logos for t-shirts and other merchandise.
‘LL: How did you get involved with eSports and the Gladiators?
David: Eventually, my design business gave me the opportunity to create custom jerseys. I had connections with the Gladiators from other projects and this became a very interesting proposal. Previously, the Overwatch League did not allow third party designers to work on their jerseys. People had to wear the logos that were given to them. But now, we had the freedom to create something really unique that had some cultural flair.
‘LL: This design does have strong Mexican influences. Can you talk more about your inspirations?
David: I really wanted to have some Latino-rooted art illustrated in a more futuristic style. I will say that the [L.A.] Gladiators have a great creative team. We sat together and collaborated on some of the themes. The Sugar Skull, of course, has Mexican influences. But I didn’t want it to be too traditional. There were some embellishments added. Such as the roses and the Azteca background like you would see on those old blankets. It reminded me of my childhood a bit, blending new with old and then pushing it forward.
Shields Up pic.twitter.com/sSU1gBou14
— cGc- n00blet (@siqueirosdavid) September 16, 2019
‘LL: Can you talk a bit about the challenges you faced with this project?
David: Truth be told, I don’t get to do a lot of Latino style art with my other work. This project meant a lot to me and it was a big deal because I wanted to pay homage to my roots. It also made me think about what my great grandfather did. Now, I was taking traditional designs and pushing them into the digital age. So there were certainly some challenges related to that.
‘LL: It must feel good to bring artistic Latino elements into the world of eSports.
David: You know, we have a lot of Latinx programs going forward that promote gaming and innovation. I think it’s just going to get bigger and bigger. It really is great that there is Latinx representation within the gaming world. I think you’ll see a lot more from our community within eSports over the next couple of years.
‘LL: Speaking of the future, are there any other exciting projects that you’ve got on the horizon?
David: Well, I actually left my former company and am now doing independent freelance work. It’s been great because I get to pick and choose my own projects. I am really looking forward to growing my own art studio. It’s an exciting new challenge and I hate being bored.
You can keep up with all of David Siqueiros’ artistic happenings via his website www.n00blet.com.
If you are in the Los Angeles area on Sunday, September 29th. Be sure to check out “Zocalo”. The fist ever eSports event celebrating Los Angeles Latino community
“Zocalo” will feature a live mural painting by David, music by DJ Que.Madre of Chulita Vinyl Club and DJ ChikiBaby from Mega 96.3FMand and a live streaming of the league’s Grand Finals at the Monorex Warehouse 2272 Venice Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90006