Continually pushing the bounds of artistic self-expression, Julio Galan creates unsettling yet engaging compositions that embody his complex and flamboyant personality. From androgynous self-portraits to broader references to his heritage or experiences, Galan explores different means of representation through layers of symbolic, contradictory, kitsch, and personal imagery. Beautifully articulated in this 1993 pastel work on paper, Galan’s provocative and illusory images beg the viewer to take a closer look and discover the authenticity in the representation.

This work comes framed and measures 23 x 31 inches.

Mexican Neo-Expressionist painter Julio Galan (1959-2006) began showing his work in Monterrey, Mexico at the age of 20 while studying architecture at the University of Monterrey. Known for his provocative, polymorphous style, Galan produced sexual, dreamlike compositions that borrowed elements from personal experience as well as his cultural heritage. Shortly after Andy Warhol printed his works in ‘Interview’ magazine, Galan made his gallery debut at the Art Mart Gallery, New York, NY in 1985. This earned him international attention and his work was featured in exhibitions throughout the world. In 1994, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Monterrey, Mexico held a retrospective of his work and presented Galan with the ‘Premio Marco’ award. Galan died in 2006 after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

Selected Public Collections:

Molaa Museum of Latin American Art, Long Beach, CA
Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
Berardo Museum, Lisbon, Portugal
Museo de Arte Moderno de Mexico City, Mexico City, Mexico
Museo Universitario de Arte Contemporaneo, Mexico City, Mexico