ALEJANDRO GEHRY
Since childhood, Gehry has always been deeply interested in the history of military uniforms. He continues to paint the figure, and these new works address the significance of historic military wardrobe by incorporating the decorative and ornate headwear of the First World War. In the beginning of the war, helmets were beautifully designed as regalia for the countries they represented. However, as the war continued, helmets would evolve in design to better serve their utilitarian function as protection.
The women represented in these paintings are wearing designated helmets of the countries that fought each other. These paintings also focus on representations of women (or lack there of) in the portrayals of combat history, as well as the generalizations of the roles they played during wartime.
Since moving back to his native Los Angeles in 2002, Gehry has primarily worked in oils on a large-scale. Honing in on his skills and aesthetic development, Gehry finds himself pushing against societal boundaries. “My work at times is described as somewhat ‘erotic’ and this is due to the fact that human sexuality is a subject matter that has always interested me. I push these boundaries because sex and sexuality is seen as taboo by so many people in the United States.”
Alejandro graduated with a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design. He is a teacher of illustration and figurative painting at the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and the Brentwood Art Center. Born in Santa Monica in 1976, Gehry currently lives and works in Venice.
