José Parlá is primarily known for his murals, paintings, and works on paper, but also creates installations, video, sculpture, and photography that respond to urban landscapes. His large-scale pieces resemble city walls, resembling palimpsests filled with layers of ephemera. He combines calligraphy, curvy gestures, and color fields using various mediums. Parlá has completed notable public commissions, including a mural at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, and describes his abstract painting as a translation of the diverse cultures and languages he encounters.