Gallery Azul and San Pedro artist Luis Sanchez have been planning to feature a solo exhibition for Sanchez for 12 months. As of May, Earth Rhythms is finally here and it was well worth the wait for this eclectic and surprising show.
Surprising, because it not only presents a 22-piece retrospective of Sanchez’s prolific, fine art works — paintings, sculpture, and giclee prints from 2004 to today — but the show, comprised of surrealism, nature, dreams, multifarious feathered folk, cultural iconography, and industrialism, embodies a dynamic energy.
Earth Rhythms explores the interconnected elements of our world — both urban and natural — and the juxtaposition between them. Sanchez emphasizes the importance of creating spaces that are not only visually compelling, but restorative places that function as sanctuaries. At the heart of his practice is a belief he often shares: “bring the outside in.”
“We live in a very industrial world with cement and buildings, which a lot of my work represents, but also, not just my respect and love for nature, but the collaboration of both,” said Sanchez. “In some of my work, you see both. That’s where the title came from, because they’re all earth rhythms. Whether it’s our rhythm that we create or the nature that creates its own rhythm.”
Sanchez is an internationally recognized creator, working across multiple disciplines, including painting, sculpture, ceramics, metal, and wood. He is also an accomplished muralist, contributing extensively to the cultural landscape of Los Angeles and throughout San Pedro where he has six public works: the 120-foot mural along the Lillian Fierman Walkway beside the Warner Grand Theatre, numerous Department of Transportation, art boxes, the trompe l’oeil mural, The Cellar on 8th Street, a series of murals for the Guest Harbor Inn as part of its rebranding, and an indoor mural of Harbor Area landmarks for the LAPD, Harbor Division. In addition, Sanchez is showing work in three more galleries throughout Los Angeles, at Gabba Gallery, Blue and The Muse Gallery, and at CM2Arts. He also does commissions and interior portraits or scenes in clients homes.
In response to how he juggles it all, Sanchez said, “Well, that’s my job. That’s my career. So, I have all the time to devote to it.”
The practical artist said four shows in three weeks was a little overwhelming; but he plans ahead, and takes one thing at a time. Sanchez took the past year to not only finish some works but to also create six new pieces for this show and then compile the rest of the pieces. He noted that Gallery Azul is a Latin American Gallery, but his work is not Latin American, (such as Frida Kahlo or calaveras). Still, he wanted to create something that was “more Mexican friendly.” For instance, he has never painted a cactus or a chili before but he created a handful of small cactus paintings, two in which, Getting Some Sun and Morning Reflection potted cactuses are vividly sun-drenched.
Another surprising pair Desert Bloom One and Two depicts a desert scene that blends tonalist and day-glow elements. It features a blue sky and green cacti—all muted but for the blossoming pink cactus flora, with soft earth tones in the background. In a masterful twist, the small, wooden-framed compositions highlighted in pink (Sanchez makes all his own frames), tend towards the surreal.
His chili painting Spice of Life is seriously hot. A single red chili is showcased, reclined like a nude in its fiery glory, centered, as it rests on a scarlet foundation. The nightshades’ cast shadow rests underneath it, as a cool teal background provides a calm to the radiating heat, indicated in the red filigree decorating the wide black frames’ four corners.
“I just wanted something that represented the gallery and tied in the whole Latin American feel,” he said.
Sanchez is masterful at drawing in viewers, especially with his striking, surrealistic compositions. Dreamscape is one such piece.
“I thought this would be a perfect show for it,” he said. “Because it shows both the animals with our earth, our home, exploding and turning into a surreal dream … It’s something really powerful and [draws] you in … I think it was just meant to happen that way. It was waiting for the show.”
The kinetic composition depicts a corner of an otherwise bare room, sans ceiling, a shirtless man sleeps at a desk. A television with antenna and curiously, a jet, populate the scene. A number of majestic animals and birds along with various quadrilateral forms all burst outward from the center point, as the creatures utilize the forms to rest on or to propel off of. The painting is composed entirely in light teal green with a white background, except for a slight yellow variation — possibly denoting sunlight or wakefulness — from a bay window.
One particularly brilliant painting, both in color and concept, titled One With the Universe was created as part of a long-awaited collaboration between Sanchez and artist Nate Seubert. Last year Sanchez was invited by LA’s Lucky Cat Gallery to select an artist to collaborate with. He chose his good friend who he’s known for 20 plus years. He said Seubert is skilled at making clouds and he paints with very bright colors, so that’s what he did and it turned out perfect.
The amazing work is saturated in vibrant, lush jewel-toned colors with crimson and orange clouds and a deep purple sky. A toned, celestial male figure, in posterior view from the flanks up, fills the composition. His profile expression is watchful and aware. Thick, fibrous fascia are visible in his turned neck, a detail that carries over, though transformed, into black, white, red and green lines on his skullcap. His head and neck are silvery-gray. His torso is flesh. A black, star-filled echo of his form directly behind the figure, as if connected, or one, presents a further story, the circle of a man’s life as he crosses lifetime thresholds. Black birds fly in the sky. The celestial figure and echo distill into downward drips that penetrate the frame.
Go see this piece.
Industrial walls are a significant part of Sanchez’s motif. He lived in a building called Factory Place in downtown LA. His painting of the same name was inspired by the old building. Sanchez was deeply involved in the arts district there and his industrial walls are an homage to that time.
Factory Place, an abstract grid of squares within a bare wood frame — marking that juxtaposition between industry and nature — is a compelling piece. Much of the artist’s work is figurative. This composition departs from the representational and reveals impressionistic depth and warmth through its amber, earth, yellow, dark green, brown and black boxes. While separated in color blocked geometry, this cohesive unit breathes through thick textural lines and controlled gestural brush strokes that fill its boxes. So too does light, transparency, and shadow. A beam of light curves into its center, and unit numbers, “3C, 4D” appear stamped at the top. Each individual box holds a unique world of expression within.
There is much more to absorb in Earth Rhythms than covered here. The show is on view until June 13. Sanchez has also released a beautiful chronicle of his art and life titled, A Quarter Century of Art and Life. You can find it at Gallery Azul, Book Baby and Amazon. And soon it will be on Sanchez’s new e-commerce site on Shopify, which is now in the works.
Sanchez will be continuing exploration in sculpture, including completing one that goes with Three-Quarter Full, his wood-based sculpture on view in Earth Rhythms. Discovering new things and new materials excites Sanchez, who loves change.
“I embrace it,” he said. “I love taking risks because most risks that I’ve taken have landed me in incredible places so I trust that. I’ve jumped off the abyss many times without ever knowing what’s underneath, and always learning … I always landed in an amazing place. So, I jump all the time … No risk. No glory.”
Earth Rhythms
Time: 6 to 9 p.m. First Thursday, June 4, 2 to 6 p.m. Fridays, and Second Saturday, June 13
Cost: Free
Details: https://www.galleryazul.com and www.instagram.com/luissanchezfineart
Venue: Gallery Azul, 520 W. 8th St., San Pedro