Contemplation / Contemplaciones by Raul Rivera (First Friday)

Un Grito is pleased to introduce Raul Rivera @art_byraulrm, who’s first solo exhibition “Contemplation / Contemplaciones” will open this Thurdsday, April 6th and First Friday, April 7th. From 7pm till 10pm and until late on Friday. A closing reception will be held on Thursday, April 20th.

Contemplation | Contemplaciones is a solo exhibition of acrylic monotypes from Puerto Rico born, San Antonio based artist Raul Rivera.

“My work responds to the need to dismantle the reality that we observe and highlight the relationship that exists between the elements that forms it. Therefore, my painting is a puzzle that feeds on intrigue and the search for a better understanding of everyday life. It is not an external and objective reality since; as Berger and Luckmann would say, in their book “The social construction of reality” it lacks one last element necessary to become an object, which is your own observation.

With this work, I am interested in representing different elements of nature in a slightly unique way. I am looking to challenge the identity and the relationship within those elements. It is a visual composition of nature born out of contemplation and my own interpretation of the landscape.

What if the sun is dark instead of bright? What if the plants where different in color and not green? My work is a direct attack on conventionalism and social rules on how to construct our reality.

The initial tittle for this body of work was “naked”. The idea of reality existing outside of people and things having their own color, form, and texture. The form only exists because of how people perceive objects, and we are taught to see things. This way we are all participants of the social construction of reality.”