Sayre Gomez - by Yehbonne Bien (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

Hyperrealistic, mesmerizing Los Angeles landscapes that highlight the city's beauty and allure alongside its urban decay and materialism

Sayre Gomez (born 1982) is known for his semi-fictionalized and photorealistic paintings depicting his hometown of Los Angeles. At once beautiful and dystopian, the paintings utilize different techniques such as airbrushing and stenciling, similar to those used to paint Hollywood movie sets. Various signifiers are quintessentially Southern Californian, such as the strip malls filled with commercial business signage as well as large advertising billboards and cartoon figures. The flawless execution and luminescence of Gomez's canvases, along with shifts between hard and sharp focus, are painterly reflections on the digital flattening and blurring of life and culture through screen-based technology. These works tackle issues such as nostalgia, authenticity and simulation. The first major survey dedicated to his practice, which also includes sculpture, video work and installation, this reference monograph on Gomez spans works created between 2016 and the present.