Artfront Galleries Newark and LeonidesArts New York present “TO BE CONTINUED“ a solo art exhibition featuring new work by multi-media painter and curator Ricardo Osmondo Francis. Inspired by Classical art, multi-ethnic antiquity, and present-day advertisement imagery Francis’ vivid pictorial works present a torrent of imagery culled from every possible corner of the visual culture. His lush elaborately graphic surrealistic paintings and drawings often depict the social constructs of humanity and the complexity of existence through striking introspective, portraiture, still life, and abstract compositions. This exhibit is curated by Newark based artist Rafael Cuello and is the first exhibit of the 2020 calendar for Artfront Galleries.
Francis’ current series delves into the theme of masculinity, particularly of men of color. His densely layered paintings often feature a solemn figure in deep contemplation. His visually engrossing works are filled with a menagerie of symbols and elements that both intrigues and puzzles the viewer.
Ricardo Osmondo Francis is a native of Houston, TX. He currently lives in Jersey City, NJ and is based in Newark, NJ, where he has a studio with Project for Empty Spaces. He received a BFA in painting from the Maryland Institute College of Art (Baltimore, MD) in 1998. He presently is the Gallery Director for LeonidesArts NY, an artist run visual art gallery whose mission is to present contemporary art exhibitions and public art projects that reflects a variety of distinct artistic styles, disciplines, themes, and cultural experiences. He has also exhibited his work extensively in galleries and museums both domestically and internationally. He is one of the cofounders of BLAFTCO, a Houston based alternative art group and is the founder of Apanamae Productions, an independent art company.