The local brand Farewell Transmission is a synthesis of visual art, music and fashion created by a local printmaker and self-described “record nerd.”
Walking into Chris Estrada’s newest exhibit at Munzón Gallery in Cambodia Town, viewers can see prints inspired by the works of legendary artists and bands such as John Prine, Leonard Cohen, Black Flag, Misfits and more.
As a teenager, Estrada played guitar in punk and hardcore bands and taught himself screen printing to create promotional T-shirts. Since then, music has remained the main source of inspiration for his artistic endeavors.
Estrada’s creative career took an unexpected turn during his time working at a bookstore. The store was frequented by a jewelry-making professor from a local community college, who pressed Estrada to take a printmaking class despite his initial reluctance.
“I didn’t want to, it didn’t really sound like what I wanted to do. She encouraged me and I ended up taking it.” Estrada said.
Encouraged by his customer, he enrolled in a printmaking class taught by Rick Reese. In Reese’s class, Estrada learned new skills and discovered a shared love for punk music with his mentor. Their friendship continues to this day, and they still attend punk shows together.
After taking that first class taught by Reese, Estrada went on to earn his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts degree at Cal State Long Beach.
“I never really thought I could be an artist. And he kind of helped me understand that I could,” Estrada said.
Estrada continued the musical references in his work by naming his brand “Farewell Transmission,” after the 2003 track of the same name by Songs: Ohia. He can still clearly remember the first time he heard it—a coworker played it for him as they worked together in a record store.
“It was a rainy day, it was just the two of us in the record store. It was kind of gloomy, and they put that album on and it was just like, ‘Oh man. This is so impactful and so heavy.’ And the funny thing is I didn’t even know who it was the first go around, and I had to ask a little bit later like, ‘Hey, do you remember you put this album on? It had an owl on the cover.’ I bought a copy for myself and just sat back and listened to it and kind of soaked it up.”
Through Farewell Transmission, Estrada releases his artwork as prints on paper and apparel. One print included in his exhibit “What I See” at Munzón Gallery, and previously released on a t-shirt, is an homage to musician John Prine.
The piece depicts coffins of servicemen covered with United States flags being loaded into the cargo bay of a military aircraft, along with the title of the song “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore.” The version displayed at Munzón Gallery was printed using red and blue ink on a white background.
The exhibit is titled “What I See” in tribute to the Black Flag song of the same name, and includes artwork inspired by the band. In one print, lyrics from the song “My War” are printed alongside a depiction of a woman in a spacesuit made using black and fluorescent ink.
It’s difficult for Estrada to explain how exactly he chooses the quotes and makes corresponding artwork for his prints, but he said he focuses on communicating the emotions behind moments in his life.
“Predominantly, in my show that’s coming up, it’s just dragging from a lot of different inspirations that went into me becoming the person that I am, and artist that I am, […] trying to pay homage to that and kind of explain an almost intangible feeling—like the first time when I saw something or heard something, and trying to get those feelings that are in my head out on paper,” Estrada said. “So sometimes it’s kind of a tough one, to explain this is why this is important to me, because it doesn’t always translate.”
“What I See” opened to the public on Saturday, June 10 at Munzón Gallery (1730 E Anaheim St.). Munzón Gallery is open from noon to 4 p.m.Thursdays through Saturdays.
