François Ghebaly New York is proud to present beyond itis John Rivas’s second solo exhibition with the gallery and the first on the Lower East Side.
Salvadoran-American artist John Rivas holds close to ancestry and cultural identity in his work. In raw, expressive scenes of loved ones, family life, childhood memories, and family history, Rivas creates art through a deeply personal lens, paying homage to the work and voices of those closest to him. His practice has long been characterized by a resourceful and needs-driven approach to materials, layering fabrics, dry goods, heirlooms, embroidery, gift materials, homewares and paintings into honest, sensitive representations of the people and places around him. in his latest exhibition beyond itRivas expands his familiar mixed-media vocabulary, venturing into hand-carved and painted wood sculptures as an extension of his assemblage-based practice language. Inspired by Northern California redwood carvings and the global tradition of polychrome wood carving, the exhibition’s eleven works bring to life Rivas’ themes and his enduring pictorial interest in labor and cultural celebrations.
Throughout the exhibition, Rivas’s latest sculptures continue to explore the intimacy of materials and collaborative processes, with several pieces created alongside his father, a construction worker who previously appeared in Rivas’ paintings and whose craftsmanship influenced the artist’s hands. Many of the works are labor-intensive and meticulously crafted, combining brushstroke-like carvings and folds of modeled fabric to create the effect of movement, recalling historical sculptural traditions while depicting scenes from Rivas’ own life and memories. A piece called ” Patron Saint of Los Cruz (2026) cites a photo taken on his grandmother’s birthday and captures her, a devout Christian woman, holding a machete in an unexpected moment of ease and strength. other, life remedy and football (2026), shows memories of the artist’s father playing football, beer and cigarette in hand, enjoying a day off after working six days a week to support a young family. In addition to these intimate family portraits, there are works depicting Rivas’ life in the United States and El Salvador: street vendors, rural scenes, and memories of everyday life presented in different scales, from portrait busts to full-length portraits. In a meditation on the shaping forces of inheritance, community and family, the exhibition reflects on Rivas’ own experiences with fatherhood in the context of the people who raised him.
