J. Johari Palacio, Cathedral, 2023
An interdisciplinary artist since his beginnings in South Los Angeles' illustrious late 80s street art scene, J. Johari Palacio’s practice revolves primarily around subterranean street culture, underground music and sound, the landscape of the metropolis, and human interaction in these environments.
J. Johari Palacio was born in Chicago, Illinois in 1975, a first-generation child of Belizean immigrants, who relocated with his father to southern California when he was a child. An interdisciplinary artist since his beginnings in South Los Angeles' illustrious late 80s street art scene, Palacio’s practice revolves primarily around subterranean street culture, underground music and sound, the landscape of the metropolis, and human interaction in these environments. He is intrigued by emergent and innovative art born from underrepresented people and communities, and his work sometimes takes the form of personal and public documentation of urban culture through photography, video, sound, writing, collage, and mixed-media. For as long as he can remember, music has served as a catalyst for connections, relationships, emotion and memory. J. Johari Palacio considers music and sound as the pivot of his creative output whether he is acting as a resident DJ for multiple venues, crafting content for print, business managing and consulting with musical acts, or creating sound pieces for art installations. His current journey has him residing in Houston, Texas.