RaisedinNorthEastL.A./HighlandParkinthe70s, backwhenTheAvenuesgangsruledtheturf, Tourjspenthisyouthimmersedinthethen TerminalElevationPrincipleVol.2,2011,acrylic,spray burgeoningsubculturesthathavebecomeavital paint,goldleafonacrylicglass,108"x108" partofourcontemporaryvernaculartheskate, surf,snowboarding,andpunkscenes.TourjalsolivedinMexicoCityandwasdeeply affectedbyitslegendarymurals.Trainedasafineartist,Tourjalsobecameheavily involvedintheLAmusicsceneandwasamemberofthebandtheDissidentsinthevibrant postpunkL.A.sceneoftheearlytomid80s.
Theartistsconnectiontothecitysculturalpastgoesbeyondhisartproduction.Prompted byhis1998purchaseandrenovationoftheNelbertChouinardhouseinSouthPasadena, TourjbeganresearchingthehistoryoftheChouinardSchoolofArt.Inspiredbyitslegacy androsterofsignificantL.A.artists,includingEdRuscha,LlynFoulkes,ChazBojorquez,he formedtheChouinardFoundation,whichfrom20062009partneredwiththeL.A. DepartmentofRecreationandParkstobringartprogrammingtotheinnercity.In2005, TourjwaspartofagroupthatdiscoveredStreetMeeting,thefirstmuralpaintedinLos AngelesbyMexicanmuralistDavidAlfaroSiqueirosin1932,hiddenfor70plusyears underplasterattheoriginalChouinardSchoolinMacArthurPark;a2006documentaryon themuralsdiscoverywasnominatedforanEmmy.CurrentlyTourjandthefoundation arecompletingworkonTheChouinardFoundationLibrary,aninteractiveonlineplatform documentingtheschool'sintegralhistoryandmorerecentpast,topreserveandreinforce itsvitalimportintheformationofthenowflourishingL.A.artscene.