We are Oaklandish: Pemex

We’re thrilled to collaborate with local muralist Pemex, the founder of the Last Ones artist collective! Known for his iconic illustration style, Pemex developed his signature skyline series by transforming cityscapes into legible text, most notably in his "Oakland skyline" design, where the silhouettes of buildings seamlessly converge to spell out the city’s name. He first explored this concept in 2010 while experimenting with the relationship between architecture and typography in other metropolitan landscapes, creating similar text-based cityscapes for New York and San Francisco. By merging precise illustration with graphic design sensibility, Pemex’s skyline pieces have become emblematic of his ability to distill the spirit of a city into a single, readable image.

Pemex's Bio:

Pemex is a multidisciplinary Oakland-based artist whose work has served as a visual narrative of his Chicano-Indigenous heritage since 2008, evolving from street art into a fine art practice encompassing oil painting, sculpture, and digital media. Through self-funded residencies across Mexico City, South America, and Asia, he has infused his work with a cross-cultural perspective that explores themes of colonialism, duality, and perseverance. As founder of the Last Ones Collective, he is dedicated to uplifting low-income artists of color and fostering community through public art, with large-scale projects ranging from a five-story sculpture in Richmond to environmental murals and permanent installations throughout the Bay Area, all situated at the intersection of Chicano identity and Mesoamerican heritage.

When you see graffiti today, what goes through your mind? Do you feel proud seeing younger writers carry the torch, or do you ever wish they had different tools or outlets available to them?

When I see graffiti today, I see a piece of genuine culture still alive and thriving. It's a beautiful feeling to see the youth embrace such an important part of Bay Area culture. I think if we had more resources and programs, we could elevate the culture, but I could never imagine replacing or removing such an important aspect of our community, even if it is misunderstood.

Was there a strong presence of Indigenous art or culture in your home growing up? Do you see that influence in your work as something political, or something that comes more naturally?

Indigenous culture existed in my home growing up in several forms such traditional culinary practices, storytelling, and in family tradition such as farming. The indigenous reference in my artwork is a political statement that communicates “we're still here!” To the audience. For me the existence is resistance. The most impactful form of protest is staying alive, healthy and free.

You recently created a map for Fortnite. Was that something you had always wanted to do, or did the opportunity come together unexpectedly?

The Fortnite map came together as a part of a group project with the Last Ones team, we’re looking to expand into digital media and utilize as an additional form of expression. For us it has become a new medium to experiment with, just like murals, and fine art. The most exciting aspect of this medium for us is the unlimited possibilities to create a new world that our supporters can explore, and our hope is to inspire those looking up to us to do the same. This kind of world building has never been possible in our modern history, and we want to take full advantage of this opportunity.

What are some of your go-to neighborhoods or spots around the Bay when you want good food, good energy, or inspiration?

I love east Oakland, West Oakland and Berkeley. In the city I’m always in The Mission district, Fillmore, Ocean Beach, and Downtown.  One of my favorite aspects of graffiti is the exploring factor. I love that you can run around the whole bay area and travel through different parts that feel like entirely different countries. Especially with how different the street art and graffiti are in all the different parts. Bus flow in the city, throw ups and pieces in the town and street art in Berkeley, I love the visual diversity. I have tons of food places that I frequent but I’d rather not mention them, so they don’t get overcrowded like so many other places I love going to. I’m big on gatekeeping my favorite food places lol.

For coffee Timeless coffee, any of their locations.
For cool running, Renegade Running.
For the best Tacos, Taqueria el Paisa.
For burritos, El Tio Juan Taco Truck.
For Pizza Mamas boy on Grand.

Do you keep up with a lot of current culture, like movies, shows, music, books, or magazines? Or do you mostly stay focused in your own creative world?

Yes, I love all forms of human expression, and I’m a huge critic. I love storytelling in all forms, film, books, zines, music of all genres and even poetry. I do however keep that separate from my creative process. I don’t like to be influenced by anything within my modern timeline. I like the idea of digging deeper to have a more profound approach to creating something that accurately reflects my own experiences. Art and its creation are sacred to me so I like to keep healthy boundaries.

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Oakland is diverse and Oakland is proud. 'We Are Oaklandish' is a storytelling project created to highlight just that.

These are stories that shed light on the different experiences, memories, and opinions of the people in the city we all love. They are people who give our city its oddball spirit, its passion for justice, and its creative vigor. They lift us up with laughter, peace, nourishment, and authentic hard work. 

They make us proud to call this town our home. They are Oaklandish.

Read more: We Are Oaklandish

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