Maria de los angeles

Dresses and paintings by Maria de Los Angeles

June 2 to July 3, 2016 - Opening Reception June 2, 2016 7-9pm 

Dress Photos by Isabel Magowan

New York, NY – May 17, 2016 – FRONT is pleased to present Maria de Los Angeles: Dresses, Paintings, and Boxes, a solo show exhibition of new work by Maria de Los Angeles. Maria’s work is an investigation of her identity as a woman and as an immigrant. She is able to use the human body form, color, personal and intimate stories, and colonial history to address current issues on immigration.

“The Family Dress” depicts Maria and her nieces painted on the chest piece and the rest of the dress is filled with scenes of colonialism that relate to her experience as an immigrant in the United States. For Maria, wearing a dress is both an art installation and a performance. As dresses are worn, their nature changes from an inert object to a interactive part of life as they are bound to attract attention and start dialogues that otherwise may have never happened. The dresses may seem beautiful at a glance, but after a closer look, people soon realize they contain sensitive, important, and controversial issues. In a way, the dresses become visual lure to conversations foreign to viewers.

Maria de Los Angeles and 8 professional models will wear/display several dresses on the day of the reception on June 2, 2016. They will interact with pedestrians on the sidewalk outside the entrance of FRONT art space. At 8pm, the artist will lead everyone to the second floor gallery space where Maria’s paintings and new sculptures will be on display. 

About Maria de Los Angeles