NEW ORLEANS - Heriard-Cimino Gallery presents an exhibition of paintings and mixed media work by Miami-based artist Carlos de Villasante.  A reception to meet the artist will be held on Saturday, August 6th from 6 until 9 p.m. in conjunction with the annual  White Linen Night celebration. The public is invited. The exhibition will be on view from August 6 -  September 24, 2005.   Gallery hours are Tuesday through Friday 10:30 – 5:30, Saturday 10 – 5, or by appointment.                                     

The Exhibition
Working on linen, tarps, and metal carhoods, Carlos de Villasante draws from ancient and contemporary cultures using techniques of live modeling, stenciling, and projection. 

Carhoods and Silkscreens: A number of Villasante’s works are minimal by comparison to his previous series. The artist paints graphic, pop-style portraits on monochromatic backgrounds, and images of masks and ancient Mesoamerican ruins onto vintage carhoods - cultural ruin upon cultural ruin.  As a child in Mexico, Villasante was fascinated by the phenomenon of masks worn by native wrestlers. Today, he incorporates lingering memories of these masks into his artwork.  Throughout the series, Villasante juxtaposes the ancient images with contemporary graphic imagery.  His portraits are reminiscent of 1960’s Latin American political posters.

In Villasante’s self-portrait paintings on linen, silk and tarps he weaves ancient symbology of gesture, personal calligraphy and images of Mesoamerican ruins, symbols of the artist’s heritage and our collective past.

The Artist
Carlos de Villasante was born in Mexico City.   He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Rhode Island School of Design and a Master of Fine Arts degree from Memphis College of Art.   He has had solo and group exhibitions in New York, Paris, Madrid, Miami, New Orleans and Cambridge, MA.  In 1995 he exhibited at the Havana Biennial in Cuba and was selected for the 2001 New Orleans Museum of Art Triennial. His work was featured recently in shows at the Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art and the Ogden Museum of Southern Art in New Orleans.  Villasante also participated in “Miami -Visions of Now” at ARCO 2004 in Madrid.  He currently resides in Miami, Florida.