James Arriaga on Two Decades of Collecting Art from the Streets to Museums

James Arriaga, a Southern California native, has been collecting art for over twenty years. His collection began with Mars Volta concert posters and graffiti from underground artists at hip hop shows, eventually growing to hundreds of works. He has loaned pieces to museums and keeps many with family and friends, believing art should be lived with rather than stored. One notable work is Aaron D. Estrada's "Desmadre," made from razor wire, car lug nuts, and a sweater poncho, part of a series of barbed-wire rims. Arriaga requires nothing from artists he collects, valuing personal connection over brand; he once commissioned a mural of La Virgen de Guadalupe from an unhoused artist in downtown Los Angeles. His most valuable lesson is never to buy art to flip or sell. He advises new collectors to buy what moves them, acknowledging financial aspects but emphasizing that art must be priceless to the owner. His top three deceased artists currently are Margaret Kilgallen, Martin Wong, and Frida Kahlo.