Gabriel Sanchez: They Devoured Everything

10 March - 1 May 2023

Overview

Painted between the shadow or curvature of the body is a meditation on the inter- and intra personal. The question of who each of us are in relation to our friends, family, lovers, and to ourselves comes to the surface, heightened by survival instinct.

Sanchez's intimate portrait-focused paintings distill his experience as a Cuban-American artist by capturing the raw emotional reality of a generation of young Cubans steeped in struggle.

There is palpable affection in the rendering of Sanchez's subjects, one that carefully exposes the vulnerability and strength of people whose very survival is threatened by political and social upheaval in Cuba. The notion of togetherness—physical proximity, romantic or familial bonds, national or political affiliations, and subcultures—stand in opposition to the notion of solitude. However, each of these ideas helps define the other; the space between these concepts make each more relatable and comprehensible.