Justin Bua

Justin Bua
Bua (unknown date)
Born	1968 (age 48–49)
Education	Art Center College of Design
Known for	Figure drawing, graffiti and illustration
Website	justinbua.com

Justin BUA is an internationally renowned artist, author, speaker and entrepreneur. He currently lives in Los Angeles and is best known for his lyrical narrative paintings of musicians, DJs and similar characters who help define the urban landscape. As an artist “for the people, by the people, of the people,” BUA’s fan base is diverse and ranges from former presidents, actors, musicians, professional athletes, dancers, to street kids and art connoisseurs .

BUA grew up on the Upper West Side of New York City during the height of the graffiti movement and was fascinated by the raw, visceral street life of the city. He attended Manhattan's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music and Performing Arts and complemented his education on the streets by writing graffiti and performing worldwide with breakdancing crews. BUA went on to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California, where he earned a B.F.A in illustration and taught figure drawing at the University of Southern California for ten years.

BUA's distinctive figurative style combines his classical training with his background in graffiti, breakdancing and experience living in New York City. The subjects of his paintings range from recognizable figures, such as Snoop Dogg and Muhammad Ali, to anonymous people pulled from his memories, including the DJ and guitar player for which he has become best known. Each of BUA's subjects is ennobled within the urban landscape he paints and is often rendered with elongated limbs or hands, emphasizing the rhythm of the scene.

BUA exhibits worldwide and was recently featured in an exhibition at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Launching his reputation in the world of commercial art, BUA has designed and illustrated a myriad of products that include skateboards, CD album covers, apparel and advertising campaigns. He has also developed successful visual concepts in the entertainment world, including: the opening sequence of MTV's sketch-comedy television series, The Lyricist Lounge Show (2000–2001), EA Sports video games NBA Street (2001), NFL Street (2004), Slum Village's award-winning music video Tainted and Toyota's Long Beach Grand Prix campaign.