Multidisciplinary Visual Artist
JAVIER ROCABADO
Artist & Muralist
ART. MEMORY. COMMUNITY.
Born in Sucre and raised in La Paz, Javier began studying art at an early age before continuing his education in the United States. He later graduated from the Academy of Art College in San Francisco with degrees in Fine Art and Illustration.
Over more than three decades, his practice has expanded across painting, murals, sculpture, neon, stained-glass mosaic, hand-painted ceramic tile, watercolor, illustration and mixed-media installation.
Much of Javier’s work is rooted in identity, memory, migration, spirituality and community. His career has been deeply connected to the cultural life of the San Francisco Bay Area, including the Mission District, the Mexican Museum, SOMArts’ Día de los Muertos installations, HIV/AIDS-related arts and remembrance, queer cultural spaces, and projects created with underserved communities.
He has worked closely with cities, schools, community organizations and neighborhood groups, using art as a way to preserve stories, honor people, celebrate resilience and transform shared spaces into places of belonging.
His most recent major commission, completed in 2026, is a series of monumental stained-glass mosaic murals for the newly renovated Shields-Reid Community Center in Richmond, California.