Alexi Torres solo exhibit on display at Brenau this fall
Atlanta artist Alexi Torres will present Unbrainwashable at Brenau University this fall. The solo exhibit features contemporary sculptures, installments and large scale oil paintings that emphasize the importance of thinking for oneself.
Torres was born in Bermeja, Cuba, a small village about 70 miles southeast of Havana. He came to the United States in 2003 and maintains a studio in Atlanta. Much of his work is political in nature, and reflections of life under communism and political unrest in Cuba.
“My art seeks to initiate a dialogue on the effects and power of human thought and behavior on our everyday reality,” Torres said in his artist statement. “Following universal laws, I find the connection between spirituality and politics, richness and acceptance.”
With an emphasis on collective memory, Torres engages his audience with playful themes and irony that are relevant to what he calls “the contemporary experience.”
“My series subjects range from portraits of ordinary people, culture, and military to a diverse sampling of symbols from popular culture,” Torres said. “These images are then reimagined and reconstructed employing a complex unique multi-layer painting technique, bronze sculptures and objects.”
Brenau Galleries will host an opening night reception from 6-8 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 19, at the Leo Castelli Art Gallery on Brenau’s historic Gainesville campus. The artist will discuss his life and work at 6:45 p.m. in Redwine Lobby in the John S. Burd Center for the Performing Arts.
Torres studied at Escuela Provicial de Artes in Mantanzas, Cuba, and at Escuela Nacional de Artes in Havana. He has participated in solo and group exhibitions both in the United States and abroad, including at Unix Gallery in New York City, the Digital Museum of Modern Art in Switzerland, and the Marietta Cobb Museum of Art in Marietta, Georgia. His art can also be found in public and private collections, such as The Rice Collection of Cuban Art, Delta Airlines in Atlanta, and actor Will Smith’s private collection.
In addition to exhibits and collections, his work has been featured in numerous publications, including Hi Fructose, the Huffington Post, and the Daily Mail UK. He has received multiple awards and accolades.
More about Alexi Torres and his work can be found on his website.