John Rivas

Haul gallery is pleased to announce La Nueva Fotos, by John Rivas, the artist’s first solo show.

John Rivas’ paintings are primarily influenced by his family. Working from an archive of personal photos, he depicts his upbringing in a Salvadoran-American household and community. Incorporating found objects near his home in Newark, NJ (he began painting in the living room of his family’s apartment), Rivas constructs a narrative of familial bonds and cultural signifiers, using portraiture as his scaffolding. For La Nueva Fotos, Rivas focused on a new collection of photograph-based collage, a first for the young artist. While much of his previous painting begins with a family photo for reference, this is the first time where the photograph is a fundamental visual ingredient. The works on view are small-scale, black and white prints layered with delicate marks of colorful paint, handwritten text, and cut-outs. Rivas’ treatment of faces and familial bonds mirror those of his larger-scale paintings.

John Rivas’ most persistent theme is the depiction of intimate moments shared with family and friends. He approaches emotion and shared love in a straightforward and genuine way. His treatment of faces and skin within these works is caring and visceral – the brushstrokes reflect how one might touch the face of their loved-one, instead of focusing on its visual accuracy. He also uses text within his work, captioning moments for further context, while simultaneously blending it into the surface of the work. Alongside the smaller photo-based works, Rivas is also exhibiting new paintings in this show including Que Vivas Para Siempre – a large group family portrait depicting his grandmother’s 68th birthday celebration. We (haul gallery) wanted to show this painting as soon as we saw it over a year ago. We’re thrilled that you get to see it, too.

John Rivas (b. 1997 Newark, NJ) holds a BFA in Fine Arts from the School of Visual Arts. He is currently an MFA candidate at the Columbia School for the Arts. Past exhibitions include group shows at Thierry Goldberg Gallery, Ross+Kramer Gallery, Latchkey Gallery, Re: Art Show, and haul gallery.

Haul gallery does not rely on artist sales in order to remain operational. We are transparent about our finances. We want to sell work that's not easily sold. We want to reconsider who buys art, other than the extremely wealthy. We want artists to succeed however they define it; sales or no sales.