* All images used with permission. Please do not distribute without first contacting the artist.
Jovan Karlo Villalba studied at The Cooper Union in New York between 1995-1999. Earlier, he studied at New World School of the Arts in Miami, Florida.
His work is inspired by the possibilities of the imagination. Using various marks, blends, and bleeds, and by juxtaposing the familiar and the unfamiliar, he aims to subverts realism and stimulate both contemplation and escapism in the viewer.
Each painting is conceived of as a puzzle piece, providing another glimpse of a world that is inviting and free to inhabit. While commenting on social and environmental issues, these paintings also reflect his own personal experience.
His work has been exhibited across the United States and he was won numerous honors, including My Art Space NY short list in 2007 and Art Dept Internatioal Modern Art short list in 2003.
"Villalba's ability to communicate difficult themes and concepts allows for a great amount of interpretation within the viewer. One can apply their own experience to those envisioned on canvas, and understanding the raw physical and aesthetic appeal of Miami, from where Villalba hails, makes them even more stimulating."
