Born in 1959, Jorge Santos is of Portuguese descent. His childhood was spent in Luanda, Angola before his family fled to Lisbon, Portugal in order to escape a violent political agenda. As Portugal sunk into its own revolution, Santos relocated to the United States in 1982. Through out these years, the artist consistently honed his draftsmanship as a form of escape from life’s unrest. Particularly struck by an Odd Nerdrum show at Forum Gallery, NY in the 90s, Santos began to experiment with and use paint thereafter.Jorge Santos paintings are a profound display of picture making for the sheer purposes of formulating an all but transparent narrative via highly technical draftsmanship and paint handling. As a self-taught artist, the evolutionary process of his work is often subject to reconfiguration, repositioning, and refinement until the grand conclusion is met. Narrative is of such importance that even compositional concerns may be subordinate to the inclusion of a necessary motif in the storyline.One may recall the Latin term “dues ex machina,” which is a literary device used to resolve a troubled plot. In English, this translates to “God out of the machine.” It refers to an unexpected, artificial, or improbable character, device, or event introduced suddenly in a work of fiction to untangle a plot. For instance, consider the artist’s 2012 work entitled Maitre D where a fork between one of the dinner participant’s toes is tied by string to a wine bottle in the foreground thus preventing it from crashing to the floor. How or why did this happen? This whimsical instance is the result of a mid-production decision to reposition compositional elements in order to resolve the foreground in a more provocative way without having to repaint the bottle.This almost humorous result often surfaces in a Santos work, as for the artist, there are little rules he truly feels the need to play by. Paintings for the artist exist as a cocktail of source materials, from still life to imagery of the mind’s eye. They are not pre-assembled sets such as that of the Realist painter, and any “photo realist” instances are purely the result of the artist’s skill to portray a likeness. In fact, the ambient lighting and elongated figures are more stylized than authentic, echoing the Italian Mannerist painters of the 16th century.Though highly refined and emotive, a Santos painting may have a poetic title but this is not a necessity, it’s just by way of the artist’s improvisational nature. He seems to be commenting on pop culture, derives source material from TV, Internet videos, and other mass media but is humble and quite reluctant to be billed as a social critic. In his pictures, settings come off as irrational or precariously balanced, moods are secretive, illusory, and often ambiguous but there is no argument to their blatant allure and charm over the viewer. These complexities may seem to deliberately provoke interpretation but Santos will only entertain his personal opinion that he is simply an image-maker.
JORGE SANTOS
Read More
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2019
“Outside of the Box” Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles, California
“Todd Gray – Pop Art” One Man Show, Aspen Art Gallery, Aspen, Colorado
“Pop Geometry” Anderson Museum of Art, Anderson, Indiana
“Pop Geometry” Swope Museum of Art, Terre Haute, Indiana
“POP!” Riverside Museum of Art (RAM), Riverside, California
“Pop Sculpture” CODA Gallery, Palm Desert, California
“Todd Gray – Pop Art” One Man Show, Skidmore Contemporary Art Gallery, Santa Monica, California
2018
World Trade Center Mural Project – Todd Gray Studios, New York City, New York
“Pop Geometry” Butler Museum of American Art, Youngstown, Ohio
“Pop Geometry” Fort Smith Art Museum, Fort Smith, Arkansas
“Pop Geometry” Hardin Center for Cultural Arts Chan Gallery, Gadsden, Alabama
2017
“Pop Geometry” Missouri State University Art and Design, Brick City Gallery, Springfield, Missouri
“Pop Geometry” The Goddard Museum, Ardmore, Oklahoma
2015
“Pop Geometry” Skidmore Contemporary Art Gallery, Santa Monica, California
1993
Martin Lawrence Galleries (11 throughout the U.S.)
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
1992
Martin Lawrence Galleries (11 throughout the U.S.)
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
1991
Peter Lembcke Gallery, San Francisco, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City, New York
1990
Schwartz Cierlak Gallery, Santa Monica, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
1989
Wilshire Pacific Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Schwartz Cierlak Gallery, Santa Monica, California
GROUP EXHIBITIONS (selected)
2020
“Art Palm Springs” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, Palm Desert, California
“LA Art Show” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles, California
“Art Palm Beach” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, West Palm Beach, Florida
2019
“Context Art Fair” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, Art Basel, Miami, Florida
“SOFA Art Fair” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
“Houston Art Fair” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, Houston, Texas
“Affordable Art Fair” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, New York City, New York
“Art Market Hamptons” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, Hamptons, New York
“Aspen Art Fair” with Bruce Lurie Gallery, Culver City, California
“Aspen Art Fair” with Aspen Art Gallery, Aspen, Colorado
Bruce Lurie Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Aspen Art Gallery, Aspen, Colorado
“Art Busan”, Seoul, South Korea
CODA Gallery, Palm Desert, California
HL Fine Art, Seoul, Korea
Eden Fine Art Galleries, San Francisco, California
2018
HL Fine Art, Seoul, Korea
Eden Fine Art Galleries, London, England
Eden Fine Art Galleries, New York, New York (SoHo & Madison Avenue)
Eden Fine Art Galleries, San Francisco, California
Eden Fine Art Galleries, Tel Aviv & Jerusalem, Israel
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
CODA Gallery, Palm Desert, California
2017
Bel-Air Fine Art, Geneva, Switzerland, St. Moritz
Eden Fine Art Galleries, New York, New York (SoHo & Madison Avenue)
Eden Fine Art Galleries, San Francisco, California
Eden Fine Art Galleries, Tel Aviv & Jerusalem, Israel
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
Eden Fine Art Galleries, London, England
2016
Bel-Air Fine Art, Geneva, Switzerland, St. Moritz
Eden Fine Art Galleries, New York, New York (SoHo & Madison Avenue)
Eden Fine Art Galleries, San Francisco, California
Eden Fine Art Galleries, Tel Aviv & Jerusalem, Israel
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
2015
“Pop Geometry” A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
“Pop Geometry” One Man Show, Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, California
“A working progress group show” Skidmore Contemporary Art, Santa Monica, California
“Art Market San Francisco” with Skidmore Contemporary Art, San Francisco, California
1997
Dick Kleinman Gallery, Cleveland, Ohio
Acme Fine Art, San Francisco, California
Katie Gingrass Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
A Gallery, ‘Assemblage’, Todd Gray & Craig French
Palm Desert, California
Vail Village Arts, Vail, Colorado
Windsors Gallery, Miami, Florida
Village Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
1996
Solomon Dubnick Gallery,’Sculptural Furnishings 4’
Sacramento , California
Nan Miller Gallery, ‘The Best of Both Worlds’
Rochester, New York
Richard Russell Gallery, New Orleans, Louisiana
Windsor’s Gallery,`Miami, Florida
Vail Village Arts, Vail, Colorado
Village Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
Acme Fine Art, San Francisco, California
Katie Gingrass Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
1995
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
Windsor’s Gallery, Miami, Florida
One World Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
1994
Sherwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
Westervelt Fine Art, Laguna Niguel, California
Elaine Sternberg Gallery, Chicago, Illinois
One World Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Windsor’s Gallery, Miami, Florida
1993
Tokyo International Art Show, Tokyo, Japan
Posner Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Gallery of Functional Art, ‘Magnetism- Force Follows Function’
Santa Monica, California
Sherwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
Westervelt Fine Art, Laguna Niguel, California
Pauline Hirsch Gallery, ‘Fusion 93- The Artist’s Role in Rebuilding L.A.’, Los Angeles, California
Elaine Sternberg Gallery, ‘ Todd Gray and Mark Beam’
Chicago, Illinois
One World Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
Devorzon Gallery, Los Angeles, California
A Gallery, Palm desert, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Madeline Michaels Gallery, Lahaina, Maui
Posner Gallery, ‘Oh Come All Ye Playful’, Santa Monica, California
1992
Devorzon Gallery, Los Angeles, California
CG Rein Galleries:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Houston, Texas
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Diane Nelson Gallery, ‘Winter Show’,
Laguna Beach, California
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
1993
Tokyo International Art Show, Tokyo, Japan
Posner Gallery, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Gallery of Functional Art, ‘Magnetism- Force Follows Function’ Santa Monica, California
Sherwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
Westervelt Fine Art, Laguna Niguel, California
Pauline Hirsch Gallery, ‘Fusion 93- The Artist’s Role in Rebuilding L.A.’ Los Angeles, California
Elaine Sternberg Gallery, ‘ Todd Gray and Mark Beam’ Chicago, Illinois
One World Gallery, Las Vegas, Nevada
Devorzon Gallery, Los Angeles, California
A Gallery, Palm desert, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Madeline Michaels Gallery, Lahaina, Maui
Posner Gallery, ‘Oh Come All Ye Playful’ Santa Monica, California
1992
Devorzon Gallery, Los Angeles, California
CG Rein Galleries:
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Houston, Texas
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Diane Nelson Gallery, ‘Winter Show’, Laguna Beach, California
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
1991
Peter Lembcke Gallery, ‘Summer Show’, San Francisco, California
A Gallery, Palm Desert, California
Diane Nelson Gallery, ‘Summer Show’, Laguna Beach, California
Parks Gallery, Tokyo, Japan
CG Rein Galleries
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Houston, Texas
Diane Nelson Gallery, ‘Salon Show’, Laguna Beach, California
Spectrum Gallery, ‘Todd Gray and Nancy Henderson’ Palm Desert, CA
Sherwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
Andre Zarre Gallery, New York City, New York
Schwartz Cierlak Gallery, Santa Monica, California
1990
Diane Nelson Gallery, ‘Color Five’, Laguna Beach, California
Spectrum Gallery, ‘Bruzzi’s’, Palm Desert, California
Andre Zarre Gallery, ‘New Yorkers and Outsiders’ New York City, NY
Sherwood Gallery, Laguna Beach, California
Schwartz Cierlak Gallery, ‘Summer Show’ Santa Monica, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Patton Duval Gallery, Los Angeles, California
1989
Andre Zarre Gallery, ‘Wood, Metal, Stone’ New York City, New York
Brand Gallery, ‘Dealers Choice- Selections from Art Dealers Association of California’, Glendale, California
Spectrum Gallery, Palm Desert, California
Patton Duval Gallery, Los Angeles, California
Schwartz Cierlak Gallery, Santa Monica, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Art Expressions Gallery, San Diego, California
1988
Schwartz Cierlak Gallery, ‘Tryptychs by Eight Artists’ Santa Monica, California
Suzanne Brown Gallery, Scottsdale, Arizona
Patton Duval Gallery, Santa Monica, California
Captain, 2024
Jorge Santos
Captain, 2024
Oil and Acrylic on Canvas
60 x 72 in
$42,000
Convict
Jorge Santos
Convict
Oil on Canvas
65 x 102 in
$38,000