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The MOAD (Museum of African Diaspora) has a great mix of artists and mediums in the “Decoding Identity” exhibit. The show runs until March 8th, so if you’re in downtown San Francisco, I highly recommend a peek.

I’d like to highlight some local artists whose work I found both inspiring and compelling. Lorraine Bonner is a clay and stone sculptor from Oakland. On her website, she describes her work as an “ongoing study on the role of trauma in distorting human identity and relationships”.

John Yoyogi Fortes is a Filipino artist who incorporates graffiti, social issues, and his Filipino heritage into his paintings.

Chaz Guest’s fascination with Japanese culture is reflected in his portraits of black women with geisha makeup, wearing kimonos with African patterns. It’s a great series and merger of two cultures.

Moroccan artist Lalla Essaydi has exquisite photos involving henna on skin and the environment–an exploration into Arab female identity. You could purchase her pieces here.

The artwork of Chaz Bojorquez is an inspiring combination of graffiti and traditional cultural styles. While being an exceptional painter, I mostly admire his unique street calligraphy. It is a summary of institutional and self-taught influences–Chicano, Chinese, Egyptian, and Mayan. You could view his bio on RTEA and the Chicano Collection Site.