In his latest one-man exhibit at West Gallery, titled Welcome Spiritualist Camp, Louie Cordero goes back to his roots as an illustrator where he would do collages and incorporate pointillist renderings to form new images.
He is most fascinated with the multi-layering of colors in different tonal values and textures. In a sense, it is almost similar to making sculptures on paper. Cordero says the meticulous handiwork that goes into each work is like cross stitching, from the initial “chaos” of trying to put together individual elements to reaching a certain level of “order” and “calm” in the final composition. He appreciates the freedom to which he can explore the magnitude of imagery before him, and the importance of collage as the foundation of the big picture he is creating.
“Welcome Spiritualist Camp” draws inspiration from the futurist art of the early 20th century, as Cordero works out the details of his images through carefully chosen lines, shapes, and colors to portray idyllic scenes. Here, he is not concerned with a specific narrative flow, but rather he is focused on striking a balance among his formalistic ideas. Instead of using figures, he goes for harder, more definite shapes to show his willingness to try new styles and move forward as an artist, as he does in “Hello, Africa, tell me what you’re doing” and in “”Gabba Gabba Hey.” He loves to play with words as much as he does with his art materials.
To Cordero, the constant process of problem-solving to arrive at a desired result motivates him to continue painting and to learn new techniques and approaches in a way that keeps him and his audience interested.
