Malibu Series #1
by Retna
Year: 2025
Medium: Watercolors on arches paper
Size: 40 × 26 in
Opening the Malibu series with a fluid, intimate character, Retna’s Malibu Series #1 (2025) presents his distinctive coded calligraphy in watercolor on Arches paper, measuring 40 × 26 inches. Reflecting his Los Angeles street-art heritage, the work brings urban visual language into a refined contemporary setting. Its expressive handling, archival paper, and documented 2025 provenance make it a distinctive acquisition for discerning collectors.
Malibu Series #1 by RETNA is a 2025 watercolor on Arches paper, measuring 40 × 26 inches. The work appears within RETNA’s Malibu series, a studio body of work that brings his Los Angeles graffiti heritage into a refined fine-art setting. The documented work is a unique original, hand-signed and produced on paper; there is no known street-graffiti version of this specific piece, as its watercolor format was created for the studio and collector market.
Malibu gives RETNA’s coded script a distinctly Californian context. His visual language blends graffiti with calligraphic and historic writing traditions, turning letters into rhythm, pattern, and abstract form. The result can suggest identity, movement, memory, and cultural exchange.
For collectors, the work’s rarity is clear: Malibu Series #1 is unique, with examples from the same series offered individually or as a pair. Its place in RETNA’s mature studio practice adds further market relevance.
The curatorial appeal is its balance of delicacy and structure. The watercolor softens RETNA’s bold script without losing its presence. It connects naturally with Malibu Series #2–4 and his wider works on paper, offering collectors a focused entry into this California-inspired chapter of his career.
More Retna Works to Explore
Malibu Series #1
by Retna
Year: 2025
Medium: Watercolors on arches paper
Size: 40 × 26 in
Opening the Malibu series with a fluid, intimate character, Retna’s Malibu Series #1 (2025) presents his distinctive coded calligraphy in watercolor on Arches paper, measuring 40 × 26 inches. Reflecting his Los Angeles street-art heritage, the work brings urban visual language into a refined contemporary setting. Its expressive handling, archival paper, and documented 2025 provenance make it a distinctive acquisition for discerning collectors.
Malibu Series #1 by RETNA is a 2025 watercolor on Arches paper, measuring 40 × 26 inches. The work appears within RETNA’s Malibu series, a studio body of work that brings his Los Angeles graffiti heritage into a refined fine-art setting. The documented work is a unique original, hand-signed and produced on paper; there is no known street-graffiti version of this specific piece, as its watercolor format was created for the studio and collector market.
Malibu gives RETNA’s coded script a distinctly Californian context. His visual language blends graffiti with calligraphic and historic writing traditions, turning letters into rhythm, pattern, and abstract form. The result can suggest identity, movement, memory, and cultural exchange.
For collectors, the work’s rarity is clear: Malibu Series #1 is unique, with examples from the same series offered individually or as a pair. Its place in RETNA’s mature studio practice adds further market relevance.
The curatorial appeal is its balance of delicacy and structure. The watercolor softens RETNA’s bold script without losing its presence. It connects naturally with Malibu Series #2–4 and his wider works on paper, offering collectors a focused entry into this California-inspired chapter of his career.