Artists by Artists

A crop of some of the art world’s best and brightest, most with deep ties to Los Angeles, captures its Hollywood counterparts in a variety of mediums

Curated by Sayuri Tanabe 

Zendaya by Rafa Esparza

“Depicting Zendaya felt like a perfect fit for me; I immediately knew which image I wanted to portray,” said Los Angeles native Rafa Esparza. For the London premiere of “Dune: Part Two,” Zendaya donned the iconic bodysuit from Thierry Mugler’s Fall 1995 couture collection. Esparza saw an instant connection between the look and the cyborgian themes he explores in his practice. Esparza’s journey into contemporary art began with performance, using his body as a medium to bring artistic experiences into spaces beyond the traditional art world. In 2022, he transformed his body into a lowrider cyborg at Art Basel Miami. “The unconventional materials of this bodysuit resonate with my work,” said Esparza.

Samuel L. Jackson by Shizu Saldamando

Long Beach-based Shizu Saldamando depicted Samuel L. Jackson as Doaker Charles in the film “The Piano Lesson.” The story revolves around a family heirloom piano, intricately carved with ancestral faces, that serves as a powerful symbol of heritage and legacy. “Just like the film, I also pay homage to my ancestors by often depicting their portraits on wood,” Saldamando said. “The connection between personal history and artistic expression resonates deeply with me, and this piece allowed me to explore that relationship further.” 

Selena Gomez by Shizu Saldamando

Shizu Saldamando chose to capture Selena Gomez in her role as Jessi del Monte in “Emilia Pérez.” Like Gomez, Saldamando is of of Mexican descent, so it was a no-brainer for her to portray the actress. Saldamando, who works across various mediums, turned to the paño art form which originated in U.S. prisons, primarily among Chicano and Latinx prisoners. “Paño,” meaning “cloth” in Spanish, refers to the materials often used for these artworks. In this case, Saldamando utilized a pillowcase as the canvas for her depiction of Gomez. 

Michael Keaton by Tom Franco

Tom Franco, who lives and works between Los Angeles and Oakland, drew inspiration from one of his favorite actors, Michael Keaton, creating two sculptures of Keaton as the iconic Beetlejuice. Just like the film, Franco’s work embraces storytelling through fantasy characters, focusing on the essence of “Beetlejuice” as a visual medium and narrative rather than a literal representation. True to his philosophy that everything can be repurposed into art, Franco crafted these pieces using clay and found objects

Edward Norton by Hannah Wilson

In Spring 2024, Hannah Wilson held their first solo show in Los Angeles at Steve Turner Gallery, offering a glimpse into their deep fascination with film. The Glaswegian artist’s portraits are meticulous, with a focus on preserving and amplifying the emotional depth of the characters they portray. Each painting is built up over several days, as Wilson applies layers of paint on a daily basis to develop a textured, almost living quality—what they call a “thick skin.”

Timothée Chalamet by Romeo Gomez Lopez

“Timothée Chalamet effortlessly challenges conventional norms, embracing styles that defy expectations while maintaining a strong and confident masculinity,” said Romeo Gomez Lopez, who often confronts societal challenges as a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. Based in Mexico City, where he was also born and raised, Gomez Lopez wanted to portray someone from his generation who resonates with his values and aligns with his creative vision.

Tilda Swinton by Amy Adler

Amy Adler’s work shows  Tilda Swinton as Martha in Pedro Almodóvar’s film “The Room Next Door.” “Swinton is captivating in this role as an experienced, elegant, and determined woman who faces her own vulnerability,” said Adler. The Los Angeles-based artist’s background in film, photography and drawing coalesce in this image, resulting in a portrait that blurs the boundaries between art and cinema.

Demi Moore by Eduardo Sarabia

Eduardo Sarabia is renowned for incorporating symbols of northern Mexico landscape and contemporary culture narratives into his artwork. “Growing up in the 1980s, Demi Moore was the actress, hence I chose to depict her,” said Sarabia, who was invited by José Noé Suro Ceramics to visit his studio in Guadalajara, Mexico, to learn more about the process of making ceramics. Although initially planning to stay for three months, he ultimately decided to stay in Guadalajara permanently. 

Daniel Craig by Gala Knörr

Knörr had an artist residency at the Cité Internationale des Arts in Paris in 2019, where she developed a project inspired by her “silent mentor,” Jack Kerouac. During this time, she conducted intensive research on his life and collaboration with William S. Burroughs. Given this deep connection, it felt natural for her to envision Daniel Craig as William Lee in Luca Guadagnino’s Queer, based on Burrough’s semi-autobiographical novel of the same name. Knörr was drawn to Craig’s portrayal of Lee and his ability to authentically embody both hypermasculine and queer identities simultaneously.

Willem Dafoe by Raina Lee

Raina Lee, who lives and works in Los Angeles, chose to depict Willem Dafoe in “Nosferatu,” a historic film imagined numerous times. On a classic Chinese meiping vase, she illustrated Dafoe’s character, Professor Albin Eberhart von Franz, an occultist. The piece features a 360-degree collage of scenes from the film, interwoven with symbols of mysticism and magic. “The unknown is terrifying, and that fear is deeply unsettling,” said Lee, reflecting a sentiment that resonated with her when she decided to leave her job as a journalist to pursue her career in the art world.

Julianne Moore by Mia Scarpa

Scarpa depicted Julianne Moore as Ingrid in The Room Next Door, incorporating a striking artistic choice: a clock on Moore’s face. This symbolic addition reflects the Los Angeles-based artist’s belief that time is humanity’s most precious possession—how we choose to spend it is entirely within our control. “In the film, time is limited,” Scarpa explained, “as Moore’s character is already aware that her friend is about to die.” Known for her often satirical work, Scarpa takes a more contemplative turn with this project, inviting viewers to reflect on the fleeting nature of time in quiet introspection.

Antonio Banderas by Shingo Yamazaki

Shingo Yamazaki’s work explores the complexities of cultural hybridity, identity, and the meaning of “home.” His practice often grapples with the invisibility that can accompany being born into a migrant family, using art to examine and challenge these layered experiences. Yamazaki draws parallels between his journey and that of Antonio Banderas, who migrated to Los Angeles and navigated a dual identity, balancing Hollywood stardom with his Spanish roots. Born and raised in Hawaii, Yamazaki moved to Los Angeles in 2019 to pursue his art career. “I chose to obscure Banderas’ identity with an iris flower, which is native to Málaga, Spain—his birthplace,” Yamazaki explained. He also added a semi-transparent curtain to suggest a domestic setting and pay homage to Banderas’ latest film, “Babygirl.”

Angelina Jolie & Denzel Washington by Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.

In his youth, Alfonso Gonzalez Jr. assisted his father in hand-painting commercial signage, exploring various neighborhoods across Los Angeles. During this time, he closely observed the advertisements on billboards and bus benches in different communities. Recently, he’s noticed an increasing prevalence of ads for accident lawyers, realtors, and insurance companies, replacing those for luxury brands. This shift inspired him to humorously depict Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie—figures often seen on billboards promoting films or modeling for luxury brands. “I critique marketing strategies with humor, especially their reliance on stereotypes and sexualized imagery to target specific demographics. It’s all fake advertising,” Gonzalez Jr. remarks. He is particularly critical of the commercial signage prevalent in his working-class community