111 2022

Alberto Pereira made this piece, 111, directly onto the pavement. Imagine the physical labor and the scale of working on this artwork. The monochromatic palette suggests a historical image. I'm curious about the artist's choice to create this image on the street, open to the elements and the passage of people. What does it mean to bring this image of uniformed men into a public space? The flatness of the figures, combined with the lack of perspective, creates a striking visual effect. For me, the beauty of painting lies in its ability to capture the essence of a subject, rather than merely replicating its appearance. Pereira uses a visual language to convey feelings, memories, and stories. The act of painting becomes a way of thinking through ideas and experiences. In the work of someone like Kerry James Marshall, we see the same dialogue with history and identity. Artists are always in conversation, responding to one another across time.