José Lerma
Spain, 1971
Biography Details
Painter. He obtained a Master’s in Art from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Wisconsin and a Bachelor’s in Political Science from Tulane University in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 2004 he completed an Artist Residency in the CORE Program of the Museum of Fine Arts in Houston, Texas. Since 2002 he has exhibited individually at institutions in the United States such as the Museum of Contemporary Art in Detroit, Museum of Contemporary Art of Chicago and art galleries in the United States, Korea, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Germany and Mexico, amongst others. His work has been exhibited (shown) at Art Basel Switzerland, Art Basel Miami Beach, Freeze New York and NADA Art Fair. He uses layers of paint and diverse textiles to create three-dimensional works with texture where he makes allusions to contemporary issues, using stories and characters from everyday life.
Artist Statement
My aim is to make works that collapse the personal and the art historical within a single frame.
José Lerma, 2008
Formation
Education
2003
- Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine, United States
2002
- Masters of Art. University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States
1998
- School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
1995
- University of Wisconsin, School of Law, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
1994
- Bachelors of Political Science. Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Exhibitions
Solo Shows
2014
- Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit, Michigan, United States
- Gloriosa Superba, Kavi Gupta Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, United States
2013
- BMO Harris Bank Chicago Works: José Lerma, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, Illinois, United States
2012
- The Credentialist, CAM Raleigh, Raleigh, North Carolina, United States
2011
- The Lightweight, Western Exhibitions, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- José Lerma: Jibaro Jizz, Roberto Paradise, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2010
- Galeria Marta Cervera, Madrid, Spain
- Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, United States
2009
- El Pendejo, Galerie Loock/Wohnmaschine, Berlin, Germany
- Back Room, Green Gallery East, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States
2007
- Arario Gallery, Seoul, Korea
2006
- Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, United States
2005
- Xavier Hufkens Gallery, Brussels, Belgium
- Galería IL Capricorno, Venice, Italy
2004
- Folklore of our Times, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, United States
2003
- Two Beats Off, Southfirst Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, United States
- As if Accepting Defeat, Galería Comercial, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2002
- Art Basel Miami Beach, M&M Proyectos, Miami, Florida, United States
Group Shows
2011
- A Person of Color/A Mostly Orange Exhibition, The Green Gallery, Milwaukee, Winsconsin, United States
- Go Figure, The Hogar Collection, Brooklyn, New York, United States
2010
- Lush Life, Lehmann Maupin, New York, United States
- Don't Piss on Me and Tell Me It's Raining, Apexart, New York, United States
- One for All : Contemporary Perspectives on the Figure, Trinity University Gallery, San Antonio, Texas, United States
- From New York with Love, Don't Projects, Paris, France
2009
- The Green Gallery's Wallgasm, Angstrom Gallery, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Dark Fair, Kölnischer Kunstverein, Köln, Germany
- Good News, Wisconsin Union Galleries, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin, United States
- Rattled by the Rush, Andrew Rafacz Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- From New York with Love, Galería Candela, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2008
- Learning By Doing, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, United States
- Works from the Permanent Collection, Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin, United States
- Ice Cream Show, Loyal Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden
- En Sus Marcas, Universidad del Sagrado Corazón, San Juan, Puerto Rico,
- NY motion 1.0, Instituto Cervantes, New York, United States
- Alogon Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Selected Works, Southfirst Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, United States
2007
- Colección Valencia Arte Contemporáneo, Institute Valencia d'art Modern, Spain
- Stuff, Museum of Contemporary Art, Detroit, Michigan, United States
- The S files, Museo del Barrio, New York, United States
- Someday Never Comes, Zihersmith Gallery, New York, United States
- Jose Lerma, New Prints, Marty Walker Gallery, Dallas, Texas, United States
2006
- Panic Room, Deste Foundation for Contemporary Art, Athens, Greece
- Farewell to Icon, Anna Helwing Gallery, Los Angeles, California, United States
- Constant Disturbance, Centro Cultural Español, Miami, Florida, United States
- Fresh, The Renaissance Society, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Espacio 1414, San Juan, Puerto Rico
2005
- Words, The Formal Use of Text in Modern and Contemporary Works on Paper, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, United States
- Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Drawing Gifts, The Drawing Center, New York, United States
- Monster Painting, Mclain Gallery, Houston, Texas, United States
- CORE, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, United States
- Curvaceous, Andrea Rosen Gallery, New York, United States
- Alice Neel Project,
- Robert Miller Gallery, New York, United States
2004
- Peter Saul, Jose Lerma & Charles Andriessen,
- Glandier & Byrnes, Paris, France
- CORE, Houston Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, United States
- Sadie Hawkins Dance, Southfirst Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Summer Drawings Some are Not, Mixture Gallery, Houston, Texas, United States
2003
- No Pasa Un Día..., EX Teresa Arte Actual, Mexico City, Mexico
- Lives of the Obscure, Southfirst Gallery, Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Please don't distort what we had, 7/3 split, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- NADA Fair, 1R Gallery , Miami, Florida, United States
- Dinosaurs, Los Medeos College, San Francisco, California, United States
- Ensayo, Galería Comercial, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Stray Show, 7/3 Split and M&M Proyectos, Chicago, Illinois, United States
2002
- PR02 [En Ruta], M&M Proyectos, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Primeras Obras, Fortaleza 302, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- MFA Thesis Show, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, United States
2000
- Artists of the New Millennium, Rockford Art Museum, Rockford, Illinois, United States
- Multiples 4, Sportman Bodybuilder, Chicago, Illinois, United States
- Peaceable Kingdom, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, United States
- Wendy Cooper Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
1999
- Wisconsin Triennial, Madison Art Center, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
- Secrets about Goo, Commonwealth Gallery, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
Awards, Distinctions and Achievements
2004
- Residency. CORE Residency Program, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, United States
2003
- Residency. Fortaleza 302, San Juan, Puerto Rico
Collections
- Chazen Museum of Art, Madison, Wisconsin, United States
- Deste Fundation, Athens, Greece
- Espacio 1414, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Milwaukee Art Museum, Wisconsin, United States
Bibliography
Books
Gibson ,Allison. “José Lerma” Beautiful/ Decay Magazine (Estados Unidos), Book 2 “What a Mess!”December 2009.
Catalogues
James Wagner “Famous Adults as Children…” Julio 2007.
Rosado-Seijo,Chemi “We Surrender” M&M Proyectos, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Newspapers
Camper, Fred. “Inspiration on a Budget”. Chicago Reader ( Illinois, EEUU), 7 de marzo de 2003, pp.26.
Cotter, Holland. “Ellen Takata & José Lerma”. New York Times (Nueva York, EEUU) 11 de abril de 2003, pp. 37.
Cotter, Holland. “Sadie Hawkins Dance”. New York Times (Nueva York, EEUU), 25 de junio de 2004.
Diethelm Donnerbruch “Kurz und Bundig,” Die Welt, October 2009
Fahl, David. “These walls can talk”. Houston Press (Texas, EEUU), 15 de abril de 2014.
Greenberg, Blue. “In exhibit, chaos comes together”. The Herald Sun (Carolina del Norte, EEUU), 25 de mayo de 2012.
Ruiz, Steve. “The Heavyweight. Art Slant Chicago (Illinois, EEUU), 5 de septiembre de 2011.
Siepman, Julia. “Sie Zeigten Ubequeme Bilder im Geteilten Berlin”. Berliner Morgen Post. Octubre 2009.
Waxman, Lori. “Summer Beckons, So Do Shows”. Chicago Tribune (Illinois, EEUU) Julio 2009.
Weinberg, Michelle. “Import Export”. Miami Sun Post (Florida, EEUU), 27 de abril de 2006.
Magazines
Art on Paper Magazine: Fourth Annual Prints Review. Vol. 12, Núm. 2, noviembre-diciembre 2007.
“Modern Painters” . The International Art Magazine, marzo 2007.
"Best of New York". The L Magazine, Julio 2008.
Freight + Volume Magazine, Núm. 1. Invierno 2006 / 2007.
Savaris, Marta. “José Lerma, Il Capricorno” Flash Art Italia, junio-julio 2005.
Sigolo, Alfredo. “José Lerma, Galleria Il Capricorno” Exibart (Italy), marzo 2005.
Vélez, Pedro. "José Lerma at Galería Comercial," Art Papers. marzo 2004.
Medina, Cuauhtémoc. "El Ojo Breve; De Geografías Tropicales," Reforma, México. 19 de mayo de 2003. pp.54.
Pujol, Ernesto. "PR02, Fortaleza 302," Art Nexus 47, Núm. 1.
Wolin Joseph R. “José Lerma, “I am sorry I am Perry” Lerma’s works are as delightful as they are opaque”. Time Out New York / Núm. 797, 20 al 26 de enero de 2011.
Venegas, Haydee. "Shaking off the Dust". Contemporania (República Dominicana), Núm. 12, febrero-abril
Web
Vélez, Pedro. "Report from Milwaukee”. Mayo 2009. www.artnet.com.
Christian, Ryan Travis. "Interview with José Lerma". Abril 2010. Ryantravischristian.blogspot.com
Johnson, Paddy. "Ink: The Best Non-Basel Fair on Miami Beach". Agosto 2008. Art Fag City.
"José Lerma and Book Talk". Febrero 2007. Badatsports.com
"José Lerma at Andrea Rosen". Abril 2006. Badatsports.com
"José Lerma, Andrea Rosen Gallery". Abril 2006. Art Fag City.
White, Amy. “José Lerma’s parables of power failure at CAM Raleigh. 18 de Julio de 2012. www.Indyweek.com
Menconi, David. “Canvases come unhinged at Raleigh exhibit”. 16 de junio de 2012. http://www.newsobserver.com/2012/06/16/2139585/canvases-unhinged-at-cam....
Schmitt, Amanda. “Featured artist: José Lerma”. Art Cards Review. 5 de enero de 2011.
Israel, Matthew. “José Lerma”. Art Forum. http://artforum.com/picks/section=nyc#picks27173