Elmer Guevara’s dramatic paintings are filled with turbulent moments – Colossal
How do we live when crises compound? Yesterday is the same as today/Ayer como hoy This is a poignant solo exhibition by Elmer Guevara that collapses time and space into dramatic paintings of turmoil and turmoil. Combining scenes of roaring fire and warm California sunshine, each piece captures the tension between danger and the mundane, exploring the ways people cope amid chaos.
Guevara was born and raised in South Central Los Angeles, where his parents settled after fleeing El Salvador’s civil war in the 1980s. In 1992, after the police officers who beat Rodney King were acquitted, people took to the streets and rioted, leading to looting and arson. These tumultuous and violent events were the backdrop for much of Guevara’s childhood, and in this series they converge into scenes of destruction and tranquility.
“A few hours after 3:15 p.m.” refers to the time the police were acquitted and depicts a man sitting in front of an older white Volkswagen Beetle as fire rips through the neighborhood. With its pointed fingers and relaxed posture, the figure imitates the dramatic theme of Domenico Fetti’s Portrait of a Man Holding a Sheet Music (1620), vanity A work about the emptiness of material wealth. Guevara’s reinterpretation includes his signature newsprint, and this issue centers on King’s ordeal.
The artist included many of his family members in the series as he reflected on the relationship between personal stories and collective trauma. For example, his mother appears at the kitchen table with a bottle of Coca-Cola and a newspaper in front of her, telling the main story of the mob taking over the city. Like others in his paintings, she is both deeply aware of the turmoil around her and yet calm, embodying the very relevant need to persevere in the midst of anxiety and heartbreak.
Yesterday is the same as today/Ayer como hoy Will be on display at Charlie James Gallery in Los Angeles through December 6th. Learn more about Guevara on his website and Instagram.
