Drawing inspiration from his personal history, as well as historical figures and events, José Lerma incorporates research and an inventive approach to the traditions of painting and portraiture. Using varying methods and alternative materials, Lerma’s gestures and depictions continue to unfold upon investigation––what appear to be bold, expressionist gestures slowly reveal themselves to be meticulous collages of silicone; or almost vibrating acrylic surfaces come into near focus as infinitely layered drawings. Finding ways within painting to collapse the historical and the personal, Lerma functionalizes our contemporary desire for beautifully rich painting as a way to encourage the possibility of a deeper engagement with the content and narrative embedded in the work.
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