When Friendship Meets Artistry
Longtime friends and artists Miguel Bonilla and Jason Lucero premiere a collaborative collection of contemporary works in May. This series, Gum on our Shoes: A Long Sticky Trail to Here and Now remixes previous works with a mature and seasoned twist.
The title of this exhibit highlights Bonilla and Lucero’s path towards maturity in both self-development and art. “Accidentally stepping in gum and then the weaving trail created when trying to get away from it just seemed like the best way to convey our experience together… sort of like two shoes that stepped in the same gum, they start from the same place but go elsewhere, but also parallel-ish after that,” said Bonilla.
The two artists first met as opponents on the soccer field in the 90s. Now, more than 20 years later, they have become an artistic dynamic duo. Their personal trails have carried them from painting murals and backdrops in their 20s, to working with acrylic, oil, charcoal, pen, and printmaking.
“There are some works of art that you see in life, but you don’t quite connect—Bonilla and Lucero’s works create a sense of curiosity that has the viewer almost entranced in the works trying to define a story, whether it be their own or of the artists,” said The Art Avenue Gallery owner, Kimberly Rene’ Vanecek.
Dismantling previous works for Gum on our Shoes: A Long Sticky Trail to Here and Now, they have created new pieces with a mature twist. “It is like I am collaborating with my younger self and correcting mistakes I might have made and/or filling in some gaps I could not see in the past. The work is becoming the medium, that’s kind of cliche, but rather than making brush strokes, I am choosing to rip up printed paper and adhere it to existing paintings,” said Lucero.
Gum on our Shoes: A Long Sticky Trail to Here and Now will be on display throughout May.
The Art Avenue Gallery hours are Tues., Thurs. & Fri. 11 a.m. – 5 p.m., Wed. 11 a.m. – 2 p.m., Sat. 11 a.m. — 2 p.m. and Mon. by appointment only, at 1618 Texas Ave. Suite E. For additional information or questions, please email info@theartave.com or call 915.213.4318.