About Shiroka-NYC
Keep Rockin'!
Launched at the Point's Female Flava in May 2017, SHIROKA is the new fashion line collabo created by world famous Graffiti artist Shiro and B-girl Rokafella. Blending creative aspects from the Grafitti and Bgirling realms the line promises to have nuances of Japanese and Puerto Rican tradition as the line progresses.
Shiro and Rokafella met in 2006 at B-Girl Summit "Bgirl Be" in Minnesota and reconnected in 2008 in Berlin at the international B-girl summit "We Bgirlz" concert tour. Recently, they have been seen at parties and pop-up shops together selling their unique items.
Now, through ShiRoka's designs, they have gotten together to share with those who love hip-hop culture the "Magic" of not giving up on the path they believed in and loved.
Shiro is an internationally established Japanese grafitti artist known worldwide for her playful and vibrant murals.
Rokafella is a world renowned street dancer known for her signature Bronx style and Break dance mastery.
Shiro1
Graffiti Artist / Fashion Designer /Graphic Designer /Art Director
Shiro's artwork is an exploration of classic New York urban history through the lens of an artist who reveres Hip Hop culture.
Her artwork is a prime example of the fusion of Japanese aesthetics and old school New York graffiti art.
Her character named "Mimi" is incredibly recognizable. Mimi has deeper meaning beyond the surface, she is emblematic of strength and femininity.
A formative time for the artist was in her early 20's.
She worked as an RN in Japan, a time she faced her patients, and experienced the end of life while taking care of each one.
Her practice as a nurse made her realize that every life is limited.
This pungent realization inspired her to travel the world and create her murals as her “footprints”.
In 2002, she moved to New York alone, and after living between Japan and New York, she obtained an US American artist visa in 2013, acquired an US artist green card in 2021, and is currently based in New York.
Her motto is "Love life and live it to the max. We exists only RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE!"
She has traveled and created murals in 19 countries on 5 continents and more to come. .
As the artist evolves her creative practices, which include fashion, graphic design and fine arts including murals for global communities, she will continue to build her artistic career and further her legacy..
Rokafella
Hip-Hop Dancer/Choreographer / Producer
Ana "Rokafella" Garcia is a NYC native who has represented women in Hip-hop dance professionally over the past three decades. She co-founded Full Circle Prod Inc, NYC's only nonprofit Hip hop Dance Theater company, with her husband Kwikstep generating theater pieces, dance training programs and NYC based dance events. She directed a documentary highlighting the Bgirl lifestyle entitled "All The Ladies Say" with support from Third World Newsreel and Bronx Council of the Arts. She is hired internationally to judge Break dance competitions and to offer her unique workshops aimed at evolving and preserving its technique and cultural aspects. She has worked within the NYC public school system and various NYC based community centers setting up programs that help expose young students to the possibility of a career in dance. In May of 2017 she launched “ShiRoka”-- a t shirt fashion line with Shiro, a Japanese Grafitti artist. She has been featured in pivotal Rap music videos,tours, film, fashion shows, and commercials as well as choreographed for diverse festivals / concerts such as The NY Philharmonic Orchestra’s Firebird in 2022, The Kennedy Center, Momma's Hip-hop Kitchen and the Oregon Shakespeare Festival. Branching out of her dance lane, she has also recorded original songs / poetry and performed at NJPAC's Alternate Routes in Newark and Lincoln Center Out of Doors. Presently she is an adjunct professor at The New School and a content creator for Bronx Net TV producing her own TV series entitled “Kwik2Rok”. Rokafella is a multi faceted Afro Latin Hip-hop artist who references Nuyorican culture as her foundation.