Ruben Rojas x WRDSMTH, Nightfall. Acrylic and spray paint on canvas, 70 x 65 in. Courtesy Bruce Lurie Gallery and the artist

Since spring, when ICE descended on L.A., indiscriminately detaining innocent people and igniting mayhem, a significant portion of the city has been living in fear. Public transit has seen a 10-15 percent decline in riders since the beginning of the raids, and predominantly Latino neighborhoods look like ghost towns where immigrants, legal and otherwise, hide from authorities.

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“There’s just not enough positivity and love,” Santa Monica gallerist Bruce Lurie told Observer. That’s the impetus behind his show, “Carpe Every Single Diem,” featuring works by street artists Ruben Rojas and WRDSMITH (Phil Brody). “This show means a lot more to me since this is such an emotional time in everybody’s life. I’m excited to do something that people are going to say, ‘Wow, I’m really glad I saw this.’”

The new exhibit features limited-edition prints, immersive installations and some collaborative works and curated pieces by the artists. The title of the show is borrowed from a collaboration by the two, Carpe Every Single Diem, featuring WRDSMITH’s signature manual typewriter stencil with the title set against a backdrop of Rojas’ “love” pattern. The color scheme is monochrome on the right, blue and orange on the left.

The Only Lie, another typewriter by WRDSMITH, reads “The only lie I ever told you is that I liked you when I already knew I loved you.” Rojas’ Pool Party is the word “love” in cursive red........

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