John Rivas

Ross + Kramer is pleased to present Caminos De La Vida, an exhibition of new works by John Rivas, at the gallery’s Chelsea location.

John Rivas (b. 1997, Newark, NJ) is a first generation Salvadoran-American artist whose practice is guided by the traditions, culture, and imagery of his ancestors. In his dextrous, often sculptural paintings, Rivas celebrates the importance of family and community through the lens of his Salvadoran roots. Typically, the artist uses a variety of materials—including paint, felt, fabric, wood, corn, beans, embroidery, and found objects—in his intimate, narrative-rich compositions. Exploring and adapting notions of legacy and preservation, Rivas sources subjects from his mother’s photo albums and draws inspiration from family practices and traditions.

Caminos De La Vida features a selection of new paintings in which Rivas directs focus to form, color, and composition with his sole use of acrylic paint. Vivid, precise color fills each canvas, as negative and positive space meet in a collage-like fashion in Los Domingos son para la Familia, Futbol, y unas Chelas (2022) and divergent techniques and dimensions coalesce in Gracias por las Pinturas de mi Hijo (2022).

Rivas received his BFA from School of Visual Arts (SVA) and his MFA from Columbia University. His work has been exhibited nationwide and can be found in the collection of The Perez Art Museum in Miami, Florida.