SDSU Downtown Gallery Hosts Artist Luis González Palma

The SDSU Downtown Gallery is hosting a solo exhibition of artist Luis González Palma, titled Constructed Mythologies: Luis González Palma, on view from Oct. 17, 2019 to Jan. 26, 2020.

On Thursday, Oct. 17 from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., there will be an opening reception with artist Luis González Palma at the SDSU Downtown Gallery.

This is González Palma’s first solo exhibition in San Diego and it will represent two decades of his work. Since the 1990s, he has remained one of Latin America’s most well known and prolific artists.

“We are thrilled to bring Luis González Palma and his work to San Diego for the first time for this exhibition,” said Chantel Paul, SDSU Downtown Gallery Director. “As an artist, his practice is expansive and his output is immense. González Palma has a remarkable ability to draw viewers into the world he has created for the camera, provoking emotion and imagination simultaneously.”

González Palma was born in Guatemala City, where he studied architecture and cinematography at the Universidad de San Carlos de Guatemala, later turning his focus to photography.

Working with symbolism and meticulous staging, González Palma incorporates themes surrounding magical realism, religion and ancestry, creating rich narratives informed by his Guatemalan heritage and perspective as a Latin American artist. The first comprehensive survey exhibition of Luis González Palma’s work on the west coast, Constructed Mythologies expands on his artistic approach to the medium of photography while rewarding viewers with his ability to tell stories and create emotionally charged myths.

“The important thing is establishing the relationship between the emotional, figurative portraiture and the abstracted, geometric imagery. These two systems represent our craving to understand the mystery of life from different perspectives,” said González Palma.

The artworks represent González Palma’s approach of seamlessly combining photography, mixed media, and collage over a career spanning four decades. His use of the camera presents viewers with feelings of intimacy and mystery that are built upon by his use of textural elements such as gold leaf, engraving, thread, and acrylic paint. This layering of media, uncommon in photography, offers a richness that is both seen and felt.

The overall selection exemplifies González Palma’s inclusion of poetry and text, bold graphic colors and shapes, and interpretations of religious iconography mixed with elements of magical realism. His works also have a narrative and storytelling quality, allowing viewers to connect with the works in a unique way. His use of all of these elements has made González Palma one of the most well-known Latin American photographers in contemporary art.

For more information visit art.sdsu.edu.

The content within this article has been edited by Lizbeth Persons.