As a child, Jessus Hernandez was fascinated with shapes and lines. The Los Angeles-based artist now explores the geometric beauty of cityscapes in his color-saturated abstract paintings. A high school drafting class initially fueled his interest in architecture, followed by a museum visit that drew him towards Cubism. His futuristic images of iconic buildings and streets in acrylics, gesso, and spray paint capture the vibrance of urban life.
In 2018, Jessus was a featured artist at the Context Art Fair in Miami. In addition to exhibiting his work on a national and international level, he works with inner city youth through the organizations Art Share and Casa LA. Inspired by “the wonder of familiar cities and places,” Jessus has developed a distinctive style that reflects how the world appears to him. His techniques involve simplifying architectural forms and using aerosol paints to create “clean lines and winding circular shapes” within a riot of movement and color.
“Through the use of vibrant color, light, geometric forms and abstract compositions, my works reflect our daily lives, the dynamic energy of the big city, and the emotion of the people that live in it,” Jessus says. “I create artwork that inspires our youth to become more productive participants in society as not only artists, but in all facets of our society as lawyers, politicians, doctors, athletes. My vision is to bring back art to those underserved communities where the art programs have been eliminated.”
Despite a successful career as a fine artist and muralist, Jessus is often dismayed to find himself the only Hispanic artist included in group exhibitions. His goal is to increase the visibility of minority artists in galleries and museums, share his expertise with children from the community, and inspire others to better themselves.
“My works reflect our daily lives, the dynamic energy of the big city, and the emotion of the people that live in it.” — Jessus Hernandez
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All photos published with permission of the artist(s).
Our Artist of the Day series is a regular feature highlighting artworks from the 100s of grant applications we receive. The NOT REAL ART grant is an annual award designed to empower the careers of contemporary artists. Find out more about our grant program here.