HUGO CROSTHWAITE PAINTS COLORFUL IMAGES OF RESILIENCE AND PERSEVERANCE
Luis De Jesus Los Angeles presents Hugo Crosthwaite: Ex-voto, the artist’s sixth solo exhibition with the gallery. It brings together a new series of large-scale paintings and multi-panel mural on canvas—a prolific endeavor that continues his commitment to visualizing the many myths, narratives, and dynamics of his native Tijuana, Mexico.
The exhibition's title pays homage to Mexican ex-votos, a folk art genre originating from a synthesis of European and Mesoamerican traditions. "Ex-voto," from the Latin ex voto suscepto (meaning "from the vow"), denotes a painting or object expressing gratitude through depictions of answered prayers and miracles. Ex-votos typically portray petitioners dramatically situated within scenes of their dilemmas, where divine beings intervene unexpectedly from the spiritual realm. These earnest, dream-like, and surreal compositions have inspired Crosthwaite's latest body of work. He paints the true stories, miracles, and vows of Tijuana residents, portraying them as icons of resilience and perseverance.
Long known for his trademark black-and-white palette, these new paintings mark an important shift as color becomes a primary element in conveying a new spectrum of experiences within a narrative populated by heroines and modern-day saints forging their way through collapsing systems, both literally and figuratively.
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Mujer Toma Culebra (Woman Grabs Snake), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic paint and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 79 in (200.7 x 200.7 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Torta (Torta), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 79 in. Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Mujer Toma Culebra (Woman Grabs Snake), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic paint and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 79 in (200.7 x 200.7 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Tijuana, 2025, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 79 in (200.7 x 200.7 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Ricos Elotes (Delicious Corn), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 79 in (200.7 x 200.7 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
Crosthwaite resists simplistic interpretations and dismantles frameworks of hierarchy, class, and politics, altering power dynamics to evoke the complexities and in-between-ness of the border city. The paintings offer a captivating contrast in composition. They juxtapose the fluid shapes of the human form with the sharp, angular lines of architecture. This serves as both a tribute to the city's unique urban landscape, characterized by its stacked and tiered hillside homes, and a skillful exploration of cubism's ability to represent multiple viewpoints simultaneously.
He also indulges in wordplay, broadening his social critique to encompass the mechanisms of capitalism by interrupting the scene's intrusive advertisements at points that reveal dual meanings and puns. This is complemented by a variety of ominous visual symbols, such as Coca-Cola bottles, roosters, spirits, and skulls. The vernacular is transformed into allegory as Crosthwaite utilizes symbols of memento mori and vanitas, serving as a timeless yet urgent reminder of humanity’s common ground.
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Cortez (Haircuts), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic and color pencil on canvas, 72 x 36 in (182.9 x 91.4 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Cortez (Haircuts), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic and color pencil on canvas, 72 x 36 in (182.9 x 91.4 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Santa Avioneta (Little Saint Airplane), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic paint and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 79 in (200.7 x 200.7 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. Boletos (Tickets), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 79 in (200.7 x 200.7 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
-
Hugo Crosthwaite. La Linea (The Line), 2024, from the Tijuacolor Series. Acrylic and color pencil on canvas, 79 x 158 in (200.7 x 401.3 cm). Courtesy of Luis de Jesus Los Angeles
For 25 years, Hugo Crosthwaite has cultivated a radical storytelling practice, bringing hard truths, journeys, dreams, and struggles of everyday people, crossing and living along one of the world’s most traversed international borders. Attracting travelers from all populated continents, the San Ysidro Port of Entry and the metropolis of Tijuana offers ample narratives, from the myths and stereotypes circulated by foreigners, to the hopes of those looking for opportunities in the North, to Americans who visit for affordable goods, medical tourism, cultural diversions, as well as the exploitive underbelly of the market for contraband and sex tourism—what the artist calls “cannibal tourism.”
Crosthwaite’s documentary approach has included recordings of oral histories, live-sketch graphite portrait drawings, murals and animations to capture stories that often go untold in a region shaped by constant flux.
Ex-voto will be on view through April 5, 2025 at Luis De Jesus Los Angeles Gallery, located at 1110 Mateo St., Los Angeles, CA 90021 (United States).
Related Topics
May interest you
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
A COMIC STORY OF A MEXICAN SOCIETY AT THE NETHERLANDS
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
A COMIC STORY OF A MEXICAN SOCIETY AT THE NETHERLANDS
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
MEXICO CITY ART WEEK: A VIBRANT SHOWCASE OF THE COUNTRY´S THRIVING ART SCENE
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
THE LATIN AMERICAN GAZE IN ARCO’S “PROFILES” PROGRAM
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
BORDER HOPELESSNESS THROUGH THE LENS OF FELIPE ROMERO
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS FUEL THE GROWTH OF MEXICO CITY'S CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY SCENE
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
ART AT CASA ESCUELA: MEMORY AND FEMALE RESISTANCE
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
A COMIC STORY OF A MEXICAN SOCIETY AT THE NETHERLANDS
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
MEXICO CITY ART WEEK: A VIBRANT SHOWCASE OF THE COUNTRY´S THRIVING ART SCENE
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
THE LATIN AMERICAN GAZE IN ARCO’S “PROFILES” PROGRAM
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
BORDER HOPELESSNESS THROUGH THE LENS OF FELIPE ROMERO
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS FUEL THE GROWTH OF MEXICO CITY'S CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY SCENE
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
ART AT CASA ESCUELA: MEMORY AND FEMALE RESISTANCE
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
A COMIC STORY OF A MEXICAN SOCIETY AT THE NETHERLANDS
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
MEXICO CITY ART WEEK: A VIBRANT SHOWCASE OF THE COUNTRY´S THRIVING ART SCENE
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
THE LATIN AMERICAN GAZE IN ARCO’S “PROFILES” PROGRAM
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
BORDER HOPELESSNESS THROUGH THE LENS OF FELIPE ROMERO
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS FUEL THE GROWTH OF MEXICO CITY'S CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY SCENE
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
ART AT CASA ESCUELA: MEMORY AND FEMALE RESISTANCE
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
A COMIC STORY OF A MEXICAN SOCIETY AT THE NETHERLANDS
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
MEXICO CITY ART WEEK: A VIBRANT SHOWCASE OF THE COUNTRY´S THRIVING ART SCENE
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
THE LATIN AMERICAN GAZE IN ARCO’S “PROFILES” PROGRAM
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
BORDER HOPELESSNESS THROUGH THE LENS OF FELIPE ROMERO
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS FUEL THE GROWTH OF MEXICO CITY'S CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY SCENE
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
ART AT CASA ESCUELA: MEMORY AND FEMALE RESISTANCE
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
A COMIC STORY OF A MEXICAN SOCIETY AT THE NETHERLANDS
Marres, House for Contemporary Culture, will present on March 15 the exhibition Vultures & Fireflies by Alejandro Galván; this is a painted chronicle of Mexico from the perspective of one of the largest working-class suburbs.
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
MEXICO CITY ART WEEK: A VIBRANT SHOWCASE OF THE COUNTRY´S THRIVING ART SCENE
The Mexican art scene is going through an exceptional moment. There is a palpable energy, with new galleries opening, others already consolidated in the process of expansion and Mexican artists and curators gaining more and more international visibility. Their presence in museums, biennials and global fairs continues to grow, consolidating Mexico as a key player in the contemporary art scene.
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
THE LATIN AMERICAN GAZE IN ARCO’S “PROFILES” PROGRAM
The organization has entrusted Mexican curator José Esparza Chong Cuy with the development of Perfiles | Arte latinoamericano, a curated journey that highlights, through ten selected figures, the diversity of visual approaches. As the curator himself states, it offers "a broad panorama of how to identify as artists and build community, proposing new ways of making, thinking, and living together."
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
BORDER HOPELESSNESS THROUGH THE LENS OF FELIPE ROMERO
Felipe Romero (Bogota, Colombia, 1992) usually shows in his photographic proposal a high interest in conflict zones. While the scenario reflects this palpable but still intangible tension, it also serves as a reflective framework where the conflict and its protagonists meet.
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
COLLABORATIVE NETWORKS FUEL THE GROWTH OF MEXICO CITY'S CONTEMPORARY ART GALLERY SCENE
Mexico has emerged as a significant contemporary art hub on the international stage. Since the inception of Zona Maco, Mexico City has become a key destination for cultural pilgrims, marking the start of the global art fair calendar.
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
ART AT CASA ESCUELA: MEMORY AND FEMALE RESISTANCE
The exhibition brings together a group of eight artists whose work, though diverse in technique and approach, shares a common concern for social justice and historical memory.
