Raul Diaz: Dreaming of Life’s Journey

Jerald Melberg Gallery is pleased to present a solo exhibition of recent paintings, sculpture and works on paper by the celebrated Argentine artist Raul Diaz.  In this new body of work, he continues the exploration of boats as a metaphor for the journey of life. The opening reception will be held at the gallery on Friday evening, June 9, with the artist in attendance from 6-8pm.  

Diaz draws his imagery from childhood memories of lake fishing with his father and grandfather. The sight of wooden fishing boats, either dotting the water or stacked on the beach, is indelible in the artist’s memory, and these same vessels frequently appear in the work as a metaphor for life’s journey.  

As his paintings on wood panels are almost always bas-relief, it was a natural progression for him to begin making sculpture. Taking the boat and figural images into three dimensions he creates a new experience for the viewer and expands his own technical prowess, employing both wood and bronze. In this exhibition, Diaz also explores his chosen imagery with painstakingly-created handmade, moulded works on paper.