José LermaMADRIYAL

Almine Rech Monaco presents 'MADRIYAL', the fourth solo exhibition by José Lerma, running from October 2, 2025, to January 16, 2026. Lerma's work challenges identification, presenting canvases that function as both sculptural objects and "process abstractions" in the form of faces. These works oscillate between delicate pastel colors and elegant silhouettes, and exuberant, overflowing masses of paint. The artist embraces "doing things wrong" as a method of inquiry, exploring materials and techniques without hierarchy.

The exhibition features nine works where the human figure serves as a stable contour for material exploration, acting as pretexts for painting rather than direct portraits. Lerma employs a Mediterranean palette and an invented artificial light, reminiscent of William H. Bailey. His rigorous process involves designing forms and colors in advance, then fabricating dense mixtures of acrylic, binders, and construction materials. The paint is poured in large quantities and applied in a single gesture, making the act of painting a physical endeavor. The canvases dry flat for ten days before being revealed upright, highlighting the gesture and laborious construction inherent in his practice.