Graffiti Artist RETNA's Murals: 5 Keys to Decoding his Language of Symbols & What He Doesn't Give Away

Who is RETNA? The Evolution from Graffiti Artist to Global Icon

Black on Blast (2022), Lithograph, Edition of 99, 104 x 75 cm

Bold, cryptic and layered with symbolism, RETNA murals and artworks are instantly recognisable. For over 30 years, he has been refining his intricate calligraphic script—an arresting visual language that has found its way onto city walls and into private collections alike. Yet the meaning behind his work remains elusive. 

Emerging from the streets of Los Angeles, Marquis Duriel Lewis, better known as the graffiti artist RETNA, has transformed urban street art into a sophisticated, globally recognised visual language. One of the most prominent members of the AWR (Art Works Rebels) crew, a graffiti collective based in Los Angeles, early RETNA graffiti reveals his predilection for complex and mysterious shapes and patterns—the origin of his beautiful yet indecipherable script.

Today a superstar artist, RETNA’s aesthetic has seamlessly shifted from gritty alleyways to the galleries and streets of major cities, including Los Angeles, Miami, London and New York. His signature script, rooted in underground graffiti culture, now adorns everything from paintings and prints to towering murals and luxury collaborations with Louis Vuitton, Nike and even the cover art for Justin Bieber’s Purpose album.

But beyond the immediate impact of his cryptic, calligraphic art, what is RETNA really saying? What secrets are embedded in his hypnotic script? Join us as we delve into RETNA’s enigmatic world to take a deeper look at his visual language and inspirations, uncover hidden messages and explore the elements he deliberately leaves ambiguous.

Iconic RETNA Murals and Their Impact

RETNA mural on the Tony Goldman Wall at Houston & Bowery, NYC (2012), © Photo by Scoboco  

Introduced to the Los Angeles mural scene at an early age, RETNA grew up surrounded by graffiti culture. Using his signature script to transform urban landscapes with his visual poetry, few artists command a wall as powerfully as RETNA. His large-scale murals, featuring his signature geometric script and intricate letterforms, have become cultural landmarks that pulse with urban energy.

In 2012, RETNA created a mural on the Houston Bowery wall in New York City. A graffiti hot spot since the 1980s, the artist employed bold reds and blue paint to daub his trademark script on one of his biggest projects to date. The previous year, he was responsible for a huge memorial wall at Wynwood Walls—an outdoor museum and global street art hub in Miami. A 2016 commission to paint the Edificio Cuauhtémoc building in Mexico City, a 24-storey public housing complex, resulted in another imposing mural—ancient, strikingly contemporary and unmistakably RETNA.

What makes RETNA street art so magnetic, beyond its sheer size? It is the way in which the rhythmic, almost sacred text spills across the brick, dancing between abstraction and meaning. Each mural is an open-ended riddle, with RETNA’s cryptic alphabet inviting curiosity yet refusing to reveal its true identity.

5 Keys to Deciphering The Hidden Language of RETNA’s Murals & Artwork

1. RETNA’s Calligraphy is a Fusion of Cultures 

Untitled (2020), Ink and Acrylic on Canvas, 152 x 107 x 5 cm 

Influenced by his African-American, El Salvadorian and Cherokee ancestry, the artist’s script is more than just an aesthetic—it's a bridge between languages, heritages and artistic traditions. His signature RETNA calligraphy weaves together elements of ancient hieroglyphs, sacred scripts and graffiti, forming a complex visual language that is both mysterious and mesmerisingly modern.

 A modern-day scribe who characterises himself as a “graffiti writer”, the inspiration for his symbols is drawn from Old English, Latin, Hebrew, Sanskrit and Mayan glyphs. Evoking a sense of history while feeling undeniably contemporary, is there a literal meaning hidden within these intricate forms or do they exist purely as artistic expression? The ambiguity is intentional, with RETNA’s work inviting viewers to interpret, to feel and to connect across linguistic and cultural boundaries. His goal is not merely to write, but to unify with his universal language of symbols that speaks to something deeper than words.

2. RETNA’s Calligraphy & Symbols are Rooted in Street Code & Graffiti Culture

RETNA mural in Miami (2011), © Photo by James Rojo

RETNA’s distinctive script is deeply embedded in the visual language of the streets. Growing up in Los Angeles, he was influenced by the bold, calligraphic letterforms of Mexican-American Cholo graffiti artists, whose stylised writing wasn’t just about aesthetics—it was a form of coded communication, a way to claim space and tell stories. RETNA artwork carries the same spirit, drawing from graffiti’s raw energy and merging the street’s silent codes with historical influences while elevating his hybrid alphabet into a deeply personal art form.

Just as graffiti has evolved into a legitimate form of political expression, RETNA murals often convey powerful social and political messages—although their true meanings remain elusive. One notable example is his collaboration with artist El Mac on a mural in Los Angeles' Skid Row—a neighbourhood with one of the largest populations of homeless people in the United States.

The mural features Big Slim, a major crack cocaine distributor in the 1980s, whom RETNA and photographer Estevan Oriol met while exploring the area. Despite his homelessness, Big Slim impressed RETNA with his positive outlook and resilience amid adversity. RETNA complemented El Mac's portrait with his signature script, inscribing it with “Blessed Are The Meek For They Shall Inherit The Earth”, highlighting themes of humility and endurance.

3. The Power of Repetition in RETNA’s Art 

Eastern Realm (2014), Screenprint, Edition of 60, 62 x 47 cm 

Repetition is at the core of Retna’s visual language. His symbols appear like rhythmic incantations, unfolding across massive murals, canvases, high-fashion collaborations and even an aeroplane—a collaboration with VistaJet. This recurrence isn’t just a stylistic choice—it’s a deliberate act, one that creates a hypnotic, almost meditative experience for the viewer. But is it meant to comfort or does it confront? By repeating his glyphs in endless variations, RETNA blurs the line between pattern and meaning, inviting us to question whether we are deciphering language or absorbing pure form.

This tension is evident in many pieces of RETNA street art, such as the mural he painted on the parking garage of West Hollywood Library in LA. Incorporating a quote from Salman Rushdie about the power of literature—a reminder of the important role libraries play in a democratic society—the cascading script transformed the building into a monumental manuscript. However, the words were not obvious to the viewer, with RETNA's ornate lettering rendering the quote abstract, prioritising the visual experience over readability.

In RETNA’s Houston Bowery wall mural, layered calligraphy dominates the space, its endless repetitions creating an overwhelming, almost sacred energy. His collaborations with brands like Louis Vuitton and Nike further push this idea, challenging the distinction between graffiti, fine art and commercial design.

Whether on a city wall or a Louis Vuitton scarf, RETNA’s repetition reinforces his message: language is fluid and symbols, when repeated, gain power beyond their original intent.

4. The Hidden Messages in RETNA’s Murals 

Untitled (2015), Acrylic on Canvas, 91 x 71 cm

RETNA murals operate in a space between revelation and mystery. Some pieces contain direct, declarative messages, while others are deliberately veiled, their meanings slipping between the lines of his intricate script. His work carries an undeniable sense of ritual—his letterforms, densely layered and precisely composed, recall the sacred geometry of ancient manuscripts, religious texts and prayer scrolls. Does RETNA want us to decipher his work or are his coded messages written for his eyes only?

In his Houston Bowery wall mural, the composition resembles divine inscriptions, yet its exact meaning remains elusive. Another mural in the district of Aldersrogade in Copenhagen features monochrome lettering that evokes the grandeur of illuminated scriptures, hinting at a spiritual presence that transcends any single belief system. “I want my text to feel universal. I want people from different cultures to all find some similarity in it—whether they can read it or not,” RETNA explains in Street Art News magazine.

RETNA’s work forces the viewer to engage, whether referencing faith, history or contemporary struggles—to look closer, to get lost in the weight of the symbols and to sit with the uncertainty of interpretation. In the end, his message may not be about what is written, but what is left unsaid.

5. The Art of Ambiguity: What RETNA Refuses to Reveal

 Sometimes Eye Can’t Read What Eye Write (2014), Acrylic on Canvas, 272 x 198 cm

Despite years of speculation, the artist has never fully decoded his symbols, with his idiosyncratic script inviting analysis while resisting definitive interpretation. This ambiguity isn’t a flaw—it’s the essence of a RETNA artwork. By leaving meaning open-ended, RETNA transforms art into an ongoing conversation, one where collectors, fans and critics are compelled to engage, question and interpret on their own terms. Does the meaning of his script even matter? Or is it the emotional weight—the rhythm, the energy, the presence of his work—that does the talking?

RETNA’s refusal to fully explain his art is itself a statement. In a world obsessed with instant clarity and explanation, he offers mystery, demanding patience and personal reflection. His work is not meant to be easily consumed—it is meant to be experienced, felt and interpreted over time. By keeping his meanings hidden, RETNA ensures that his art never settles into a single definition, but instead continues to evolve with each new set of eyes that seeks to understand it.

RETNA’s Place in the Contemporary Art Market

From RETNA street artist to the elite art world, this self-proclaimed graffiti writer has successfully navigated the transition to fine art. What began as bold, cryptic graffiti scrawled on city walls has evolved into sought-after RETNA paintings and prints that have earned him a position in the top five best-selling graffiti artists in the world. His ability to merge street culture with the sophistication of fine art has positioned RETNA art alongside contemporary giants, proving that graffiti can be both raw and refined.

Investors have taken notice. His canvases and limited-edition prints have been exhibited in prestigious institutions, including MOCA in Los Angeles, while his collaborations with brands like Louis Vuitton and Nike have further cemented his mainstream appeal. Celebrities, including Nicole Scherzinger, Usher and Steve Aoki, are among those who have bought into his distinct visual language, adding to his credibility as an artist whose influence extends far beyond the gallery.

For collectors looking to acquire original RETNA paintings, large-scale canvases like Eye Can’t Live WIth You Eye Can’t Live Without You are available alongside limited-edition prints at Maddox Gallery.

Browse RETNA art for sale

The Lasting Enigma of RETNA’s Murals, Graffiti & Symbols

 

Margraves (2017), Oil and Acrylic on Canvas, 153 x 153 cm

RETNA paintings and murals remain a paradox. Both deeply personal and universally resonant, his unique language is at once familiar and indecipherable. Once scrawled across city walls as coded messages of identity and belonging, his paintings have become totems of artistic expression that bridge the worlds of graffiti and fine art. Yet at their core they remain rooted in the streets, carrying the energy of the urban landscape.

Collectors and fans are drawn to the work of graffiti artist RETNA not just for its unique calligraphic script but for the mystery it holds. His symbols demand engagement, challenging the viewer to search for meaning beyond the surface. Some see spiritual echoes in his flowing script, others recognise the cultural fusion embedded in each stroke—but no interpretation is definitive, and that is precisely the power of his work.

From iconic public murals in Los Angeles and Miami to exclusive pieces housed in elite galleries and private collections, RETNA’s influence spans the globe. Yet, despite his rise in the art world, he remains a mark making artist whose work resists easy categorisation, whose language continues to evolve, and whose murals still whisper messages only the most patient observers may ever hope to understand. 

For those looking to own a piece of RETNA’s cryptic genius, Maddox Gallery offers exclusive works for sale. Explore RETNA’s work at Maddox Gallery and enquire about available pieces.

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