Topaz II (2001) Painting

Raul Arjona is best known for his emotion inducing abstract-expressionists works with sweeping acrylic strokes and oil stick words on canvas, that express a vision of memories and life experiences molded in between the brick buildings and concrete slabs of New York City. As a Dominican artist he is influenced by the folklore and history of the tiny island nation which can clearly be observed in paintings such as “Lubeck” and “S.S. Malone.” What can also be seen is the impact his favorite artists have had on him since a very young age. Namely artists like Jean-Michel Basquiat, Gerhard Richter, Vincent Van Gogh and Jackson Pollock. The words come from the poetry and journals he’s kept since childhood, when painting, these words appear on the canvas as if they were thought of that very moment. With a focus on darker themes with childlike bold brushstrokes, he manages to convey both sadness and happiness which are important to his being.