UNTITLED

Of all the artists I’ve met, King Dave was one of my favorites. He wasn’t as well known as his contemporaries Von Dutch or Big Daddy Roth, but he hand-painted cars and bikes in Tulsa, Okla., with an uncommon flair. He never used stencils or other “crutches,” as he said, yet he created beautiful designs as expressive as they were precise. Better still, he always did so with a laugh.

Sadly, Dave didn’t live to see the “Kustom Japan” show at Track 16 in Santa Monica (track16.com; Sat.-June 14). With hundreds of photos, paintings and cars, the show documents the custom car movement in Japan, which began in the mid-1980s. Dave was dubious of neophytes trying to copy his generation’s style, but he’d adore this. After all, there’s a long history of brushwork in Japan, which is not far removed from his own technique (one stroke only), and artists such as Hiro Ishii are genuine masters.

Of course, knowing Dave, he’d probably spend his time poring over the photos of Japanese celebrating the subculture he helped create, from the Bosozoku boys who ape California lowriders to hand-painted Ford coupes and Bel Airs cruising Yokohama. “Look at this,” I can hear him saying. “This guy’s jacket says ‘Hots Rodder!’ ”

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-- theguide@latimes.com