WHEN: Opening Reception, Saturday night, September 7th, 7-11pm. Both artists will be on premises -- come meet them and ask them about their work! The exhibitions will be on view through Saturday, September 28th, with a closing reception on that day.
WHERE: Deep Space Gallery, 77 Cornelison Ave, Jersey City
Deep Space Gallery is very pleased to present our new exhibition featuring solo shows by two artists whose inimitable styles are recognizable in public spaces from Jersey City, Newark, NYC and Philadelphia to El Salvador and the Dominican Republic. La Lucha features new works by Sean 9 Lugo and Counter/Public features new works by Layqa Nuna Yawar. The artist duo are coming back together in Jersey City for the first time since their two-man show at the legendary 58 Gallery nearly a decade ago.
Those who cannot attend the opening can contact the gallery at deepspacejc@gmail.com for a catalog of available works, a schedule of the month's programming, or to schedule a gallery visit. See more about the exhibitions in the artists' own words below.
La Lucha // New works by Sean 9 Lugo:
"No stranger to struggle, La Lucha is my most personal body of work to date." It delves into what's really behind the mask, touching on [sensitive] subjects that many are too afraid to admit to. It is the depression we are unable to face; the corners that we grew up on; the uncertainty of where our next meal will come from; the five finger discounts we [sometimes hesitantly] get; and the beat downs that come our way, all of which is worth it in the end due to the love in our lives."
Counter/Public // New works by Layqa Nuna Yawar:
"The Counter/Public is the space where the subaltern change culture...and create counter narratives that uplift our voices and fit our own definitions of who we are. The Counter/Public is the switching from English to a private language so you can curse at your boss, say tender things to your lover, express the complexity of your being. The Counter/Public is an internal space for healing, a private realm that deals with our trauma and a strategy of survival against governments that dehumanize and scapegoat our existence. Counter/Public is a collection of new and recent work that speaks about these truths and exists as a fold-in to my public mural work. These paintings, drawings and sculptures focus on my own migrant history in order to speak about a larger communal experience of people of color living in the USA at a time of crisis."
About the Artists:
Layqa Nuna Yawar is a migrant artist, muralist and educator born in Ecuador and based out of Newark, NJ, USA. His large scale murals, paintings and projects question injustice, racism and xenophobia, while celebrating cross-cultural identity and migration in order to amplify the silenced narratives of people of color around the Americas and the world.
Sean 9 Lugo describes himself as a brown boy representing the duality of both Latin and American culture and experiences through masks that can either misconceive or stereotype perceptions. His art has a street element, but he does not consider himself a street artist. His images are meticulously done by hand, but he does not consider himself a fine artist. He is self-taught and creates art for himself, not for others. He describes his art as not fine-tuned because struggle and imperfections are the experiences echoed in his work.
Artist Press:
