.jpeg)
Pancho Luna
Books have always been symbols as much as objects -- perhaps even more so. When they were precious and rare, owning them was a sign of power and wealth. When they became widely disseminated, they (and the access to knowledge they represented) were seen as a threat to those social structures. In more modern times, the book has become a bit of both. A collection, a library, or just what’s on your shelves or coffee table now says as much about you as the clothes you wear, and people curate their bibliographic displays as much for public appreciation as for personal expression. Moreover, every book collector has their own unique system for organizing their volumes -- by author, subject, binding, jacket, language, date, size, circumstance, and intuition. Connections between and among them are organic, malleable, arbitrary, and their jostling itself can yield unexpected poetry.
Pancho Luna remembers his grandmother’s library as an eclectic and rather magical place. It contained volumes of volumes in several different languages, which didn’t matter all that much since he started exploring them long before he could read anyway. It turns out there’s more than one way to read a book, though, and Luna became enamored of them all -- as pure color, shape, smell, texture, typeface; as repositories of photographs, illustrations, reproductions; and ultimately as sites of experience and triggers of memory -- in short, as both symbols and objects. And it is precisely this multifaceted power to impart knowledge by means other than words on pages which Luna explores in his luminous, alluring, and deceptively simple sculptural works in which recreations of curated bookshelves are rendered in transparent lucite to powerful, nuanced effect.
Recreating the esoteric quality of his experiences in those early heady days alone in the family library, Luna engineers quasi-architectural arrangements in which sequences of individually fabricated “books” are placed as carefully as still lifes. Much like those volumes he could not yet read, the seductive appeal of these sculptures is, at least at first, almost entirely aesthetic. The clear, chromatically lined blocks are stacked, aligned, and tilted, setting slivers of fine lines and bright colors in staccato rhythms that flicker and change as the viewer moves across and around, peers inside and pulls away again. Their capturing and refracting of ambient light in blended, geometrical abstraction recalls the materialism of Light & Space artists like Vasa or Larry Bell. And after all, he’s a sculptor, not a writer.
And yet, Luna is no pure abstractionist. Fundamentally, he is a storyteller interested in communicating fresh ideas about art history, global political and social issues, technology, science, architecture, music, religion, and cultural identity. Thus each bookshelf must also be understood as a narrative contained within itself, one that unfolds not only through Luna’s deft and refined beckoning formalism, but also through evocative meanings generated by choices that are in no way accidental. Though these books cannot be opened, they can very much still be read.
--Art Critic, Shana Nys Dambrot
Born Francisco Pancho Luna on July 15, 1957, La Plata, Argentina.
Educated at the National Superior School of Fine Arts,
University of La Plata.
Lives and works in Miami, Florida.
EXHIBITIONS
2024
Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Beach, FL
Intersect Palm Springs, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
Expo Chicago, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Chicago, IL
San Francisco Art Fair, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Timothy yarger Fine Art, Westhampton, NY
The Aspen Art Fair, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Aspen, CO
2023
Intersect Palm Springs, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Beach, FL
Expo Chicago, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Chicago, IL
Art Market San Francisco, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
Hamptons Fine Art Fair, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Westhampton, NY
Intersect Aspen, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Aspen, CO
Art on Paper, Timothy yarger Fine Art, New York, NY
Art Miami, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Miami, FL
2022
Intersect Palm Springs, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Beach, FL
Expo Chicago, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Chicago, IL
Art Market San Francisco, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
Seattle Art Fair, Timothy yarger Fine Art, Seattle, WA
Market Art & Design, Southampton, NY
Art Miami, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Miami, FL
2021
Expo Chicago, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Chicago, IL
Market Art & Design, Southampton, NY
Art Market San Francisco, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
Art Miami, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Miami, FL
2020
Art Miami, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Miami, FL
Expo Chicago, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Chicago, IL
Art Market San Francisco, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Beach, FL
2019
Art Miami, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Miami, FL
Fall Forward, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
Expo Chicago, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Chicago, IL
Art Market San Francisco, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA
Art Palm Springs, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
LA Art Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
Palm Beach Modern + Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Beach, FL
2018
LA Art Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
Art Palm Springs, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
Market Art + Design Hamptons, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Hamptons, NY
Art Aspen, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Aspen Colorado
Texas Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Houston, TX
2017
LA Art Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
Art Palm Springs, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
Market Art + Design Hamptons, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Hamptons, NY
Art Aspen, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Aspen Colorado
2016
LA Art Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
Art Palm Springs, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palm Springs, CA
Market Art + Design Hamptons, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Hamptons, NY
Art Aspen, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Aspen Colorado
2015
Summer Group Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, CA.
San Francisco Art Market, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA.
SpringGroup Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, CA.
Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palms Springs, CA.
LA ART SHOW, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA.
2014
Winter Group Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly HIlls, CA.
Art Aspen, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Aspen, CO.
Texas Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Houston, TX.
Hamptons Art Market, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Bridgehampton, NY.
Summer Group Show, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Beverly Hills, CA.
San Francisco Art Market, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Francisco, CA.
Silicon Valley Contemporary, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, San Jose, CA.
Palm Springs Fine Art Fair, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Palms Springs, CA.
LA ART SHOW, Timothy Yarger Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA.
LA ART SHOW, Praxis International Art, Los Angeles, CA.
2013
Art Miami, Praxis International Art, Miami, FL.
HOUSTON FINE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, TX.
ART SOUTHAMPTON, Praxis International Art, NY.
COLLECTIVE GROUP EXHIBITION, Praxis International Art, NY.
2012
Arteamericas, Argentine Art Exhibit, Miami, FL.
COLLECTIVE GROUP EXHIBITION, Praxis International Art, NY.
Artist Designing Light, Miami Light Project & Glottman, Wynwood, Miami, FL.
2011
Argentine Art Exhibit, Nova Southeastean University, Fort Lauderdale-Davie, FL.
Base Paint Art Auction, Ideobox Gallery, Miami, FL.
COLLECTIVE GROUP EXHIBITION, Praxis International Art, NY.
COLLECTIVE GROUP EXHIBITION, Espacio Foto Galeria, Punta del Este, Uruguay.
2010
Arte BA, Buenos Aires, Dot Fiftyone Gallery Booth.
Celebrating Argentina’s Independence in Art, Leilia Mordoch Gallery, Miami, FL.
MIA ART FAIR, Dot Fiftyone Gallery Booth, Miami Beach, FL.
ART MIAMI, Dot Fiftyone Gallery Booth, Miami, FL.
COLLECTIVE GROUP EXHIBITION, Craighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX.
2009
LATIN AMERICAN PAINTING, NOW, Naples Museum of Art.Naples, FL.
ARTE AMERICAS, Dot Fiftyone Gallery, Miami, FL.
ART MIAMI, Dot Fiftyone Gallery Booth, Miami, FL.
ART DOES DESING, Dot Fiftyone Gallery, Desing Center of the
America DCOTA, Ft.Lauderdale, FL.
2008
ART MIAMI, Dot Fiftyone Gallery Booth, Miami, FL.
MIAMI CIUDAD METAFORA, The Spanish Cultural Center, Miami, FL.
ALL INCLUSIVE, Graighead-Green Gallery, Dallas, TX.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
PALM BEACH 3, Praxis International Art, Palm Beach, FL
MADRID INTERNATIONAL CONTEMPORARY ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, Madrid, Spain.
2007
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, Toronto, Canada.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, Battersea Park, London, UK.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Seven-0-Seven Contemporary, New York, NY.
ARTEBA, Praxis International Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
CIRCA, Praxis International Art, San Juan de Pto Rico, Pto Rico.
FERIA IBEROAMERICANA DE ARTE, Praxis Int.Art, Caracas, Venezuela.
2006
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
FERIA IBEROAMERICANA DE ARTE, Praxis International Art, Caracas, Venezuela.
CIRCA, Praxis Internacional Art, San Juan de Puerto Rico, Pto.Rico
ART CHICAGO, Praxis Internacional Art, Chicago, Illinois.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, Battersea Park, London, UK.
2005
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
ART CHICAGO, Praxis International Art, Chicago, Illinois.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, Battersea Park, London, UK.
The White Room, Seven o Seven Gallery, Santa Fe, NM.
2004
ART OF THE 20TH CENTURY, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
TORONTO INTERNATIONAL ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, Toronto, Canada.
FERIA IBEROAMERICANA DE ARTE, Praxis International Art, Caracas, Venezuela.
ART LONDON, Praxis International Art, London, UK.
ART CHICAGO, Praxis International Art, Chicago, Illinois.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, Battersea Park, London, UK.
2003
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, London, UK (2nd Prize).
ART PALM BEACH, Praxis International Art, Palm Beach, FL.
ART MIAMI, Praxis International Art, Miami, FL.
ART MIAMI, Zuber Fine Art, Miami, FL.
ARTEBA, Praxis International Art, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2002
ART OF THE 20TH CENTURY, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
ART MIAMI, Praxis International Art, Miami, FL.
THE AFFORDABLE ART FAIR, Praxis International Art, New York, NY.
ART CHICAGO, Contempora Gallery, Chicago, IL.
SAN FRANCISCO ART EXPOSITION, Contempora Gallery, San Francisco, CA.
Group Show, Van Riel Gallery, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2001
ART MIAMI, Jacobo Karpio Gallery, Miami, FL.
2000 ART CHICAGO, Jacobo Karpio Gallery, Chicago, IL.
ART PALM BEACH, Jacobo Karpio Gallery, Palm Beach, FL.
1998
Juried Art Exhibition for the Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat Prize, Bs. As.Argentina.
1997
Juried Art Exhibition for the Eduardo Constantini Prize, Bs.As. Argentina.
1996
Juried Art Exhibition, VII Bienal Chandon, Bs. As., AR
1995
Juried Art Exhibition for the Amalia Lacroze de Fortabat Prize, Bs.As.Argentina.
Juried Art Exhibition for the EDELAP Prize, La Plata, AR. (Honorable Mention).
1992
Juried Art Exhibition, IV Bienal Chandon, Buenos Aires, AR.
1991
First Contemporary Art Auction, Museo Nacional de Arte Decorativo. Bs. As.Argentina.
Juried Art Exhibition, III Bienal Chandon, Buenos Aires, AR.