NEW ORLEANS – Brand New Orleans Art Gallery, 646 Tchopitoulas St., will present the debut solo exhibition, Trayectoria Abstracta, of local artist Daniel Lopez, aka El Oso, though Tuesday, Oct. 10.
An opening artist reception takes place Friday, Sept. 8, from 6:00 p.m.- 9:00 p.m., and will feature food and drink by Chef Adolfo Garcia.
Gallery Director Nissa Teissier said Lopez’ work represents the breadth of cultural diversity of New Orleans and supports Brand’s mission to exhibit emerging Southern artists.
“Present in his work are motifs of human struggle and triumph,” she said. “To spend time with Lopez’s work is to get lost in his world of wonder and self-exploration, with the rewarding journey of decoding symbols and digging at the stops along the road to where the artist finds himself.”
“My work has always been about mixing and experimenting with everything,” said Lopez. “I work with all those folkloric motives I was born with. I enjoy hiding signs, phrases, figures across my art. I want my spectator to be immersed in my works where he could find himself as a curious boy digging for answers, his own answers.”
Lopez resides in Louisiana and this will be his first gallery show in the state. He has previously shown in his home country of Cuba, and in Miami, Florida, and has works housed at the Spanish Embassy in the Ukraine.
Lopez creates his work through the affirmation of the redemptive power of art, Brand’s Teissier said. He feels a strong constant need of interaction with the community, formulating concepts based upon a multitude of viewpoints.
Originally from Cuba, Lopez’ work serves as a bridge between diverse cultural backgrounds. While studying at the Academy of Arts in Trinidad, Cuba he developed a passion for abstraction and figurative painting. Since then he has experimented with sculpture and design. Being open to different art experiences has given him a broad perspective in the arts allowing himself to mix different techniques to create his unique well-recognized style, Teissier said.
