Los Angeles, CA - March 14, 2005 - Grammy award winner OZOMATLI, East Side Artist GAJIN FUJITA and TROPICO DE NOPAL GALLERY-ART SPACE join efforts collaborating on a unique project.  For a period of  three weeks, and celebrating its 10-year-anniversary of music and performance, OZOMATLI members and TROPICO will assemble six music station/installations and create new material for the band's upcoming album, a project they are calling ""FURIOUS CONVERSATIONS". Boyle Heights and contemporary graffiti artist GAJIN FUJITA was asked to participate in the project to provide visual inspiration and is incorporating the help of his fellow artists and crew members from K2S ( Kill to Succeed). TROPICO'S  versatility and location made it an appealing and a natural choice for this project. The installations and the work as it progresses will be on view to the public during gallery hours

OZOMATLI, LA's Afro-Latin-and-beyond style mashers won the GRAMMY gold this past February 2005, taking home the award for Best Latin Rock / Alternative Album of the Year for their last CD, Street Signs.  Committed to social justice and believing that "music is the key to every culture" (trumpet player A. Sierra), the multi-racial ten-piece band members are; Jiro Yamaguchi/ Percussion; Wil-Dog Abers/Bass, Vocals; Justin Poree/Percussion, MC, Vocals; Asdrubal Sierra/ Trumpet, Lead Vocals; Raul Pacheco/Guitar, Lead Vocals; Ulises Bella/Tenor Sax, Clarinet, Vocals; Mario Calire/Drums; Rene 'Spinobi' Dominguez/Turntablist; Jabu/MC, Sheffer Bruton/ Trombone.

 GAJIN FUJITA fuses traditional Japanese imagery with contemporary graffiti technique and style to create intensely colored, powerful works. Born and raised in East Los Angeles, he received his BFA in 1997 from Otis College of Art and Design and his MFA in 2000 from the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. His work has appeared in solo and numerous group shows in galleries in Los Angeles, New York and Japan as well as some street corners.

 TROPICO DE NOPAL GALLERY-ART SPACE is a place where the impossible seems possible, aiming always to bring fresh ideas to the local art scene. The gallery is known for its unique location, high quality "site specific" installations, exhibitions, poetry, music and performance collaborations. Tropico has challenged stereotypical imagery associated with Chicano/a and Latino/a artwork, and prides itself on boldly featuring contemporary cutting edge artists from Los Angeles and Tijuana, always generating important dialogue between two strong artistic communities. Past exhibits include"Apples and Oranges" - Chicano artists from NY and LA (2003); Tijuana artist , Hugo Crosthwaite,two solo shows, "Urbe Tenebrosa (2003) and "Caprichos" (2004); Daniel Ruanova "Game Over"(2004); LA artists  Diane Gamboa "Bruja-Ha" solo (2004) and Will Herron lll " HerróthiCa"  El Dolor Con Pan Fino, Solo (2005).