Laura Hernandez has a penchant for doing things in a big way.

Her paintings are big canvasses, her personality is big and bold, her subject matter is big and bold.

So it should not come as a surprise that one of her museum shows was big and bold.

The show – Omnia – travelled for more than two years all over the world – shown at different museums and public art galleries.

In North America, the venue was the Museum of Latin American Arts, at Long Beach in Calfornia.

Big and bold it was – spread out over two large rooms and connecting hallways, an area of 12,000 square feet.

Entitled – Omnia: Laura Hernandez, a Trip into the Realm of Myth and Dreams, it was big and bold – a five-year effort by Hernandez and all, at age 37.

What an accomplishment.

Her paintings huge, five by seven feet, common; the paper mache heads, eight feet high, painted with oil paints and mixed media, replicas of the ancient Olmec heads of Mexico.

Her paintings a reflection of Mexico’s cultural heritage – a mixture of ancient history and indigenous folk art – familiar motifs of the Mexican psyche present – skulls, tortured human figures, life, death, nature, symbolic animals.

The art critic of the Los Angeles Times referred to her this way:

“Hernandez’s combination of intuitive drive, artistic control and painterly touch borders on the awesome.”

“…Hernandez is the finest Mexican artist since the great muralists. Her work recharges one’s aesthetic batteries and confirms painting as still vibrant.”

A Postscript

I first saw her work at a small art gallery in San Francisco – Bond Latin.

Sight unseen, only a picture, I bought this piece – Novembre 2. I waited more than two years before receiving it. It was part of the Omnia show.

I was so impressed with her works that I flew to Long Beach for the day to see the show. I was in awe of what I saw – Magnifico.

Every Wednesday, veteran journalist, George Froehlich, gets personal – sharing with you, his amazing travel destinations, his wonderful recipes, art he loves, music he enjoys.
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