Leonardo Drew

Leonardo Drew is an African American contemporary artist. His works often explore decay and regeneration of natural materials like wood. As a young boy, he was influenced by other artists like Jackson Pollock. Drew's art, through the media it explores, often tells a story. His works also silently boast his carpenter-like abilities. I really like this artwork which is made of wood and paint. It is very simple but somehow draws my attention with the different shapes of wood he uses. It is also ironic that he used wood to make an image of a tree like figure.

Leonardo Drew

"Number 181"

Leonardo Drew uses tree trucks and wood to make his sculptures. His sculptures are usually monochromatic and he forms them through the processes of oxidation, burning and decaying. Leo grew up in a housing project that faced a landfill, a lot of his work is inspired by that. When he was a kid a picture of him and his painting of captain america was in the newspaper this was the very start of his "career". A lot of artist influenced Drew's art but he knew what he wanted to do when he saw Jackson Pollock's work. So far Leo Drew is my favorite artist out of the different artists we have looked at.

Leonardo Drew

Leonardo Drew crafts sculptures and installations out of a mix of found natural and manmade material. These works evoke urban living, humanity's relationship with nature, and African American society. His work is informed by his experience as an African American growing up in a housing project. Urban waste like wooden scraps and objects from condemned housing sites, with tree branches, roots, paper, raw cotton, rust and mud is what makes up his works. He makes these materials into complex and textured forms. Leonardo is known for reworking and recycling his pieces. Keeping some works in a constant state of incompletion.

Leonardo Drew

At Pace Prints, Leonardo Drew works possess a natural earthiness and a deep sense of soul. Leonardo Drew reveals the true beauty in print making. In the article it states "The most rewarding part of being an artist is being challenged, working endless hours consumed by impulses to push limits and attack conventions." This statement truly is shown in his artwork. Leonardo Drew was very hardworking. This artwork in particular has so many different stories that people may interpret. I loved this one out of all of them because the way he interprets nature was really moving to me. 

Leonardo Drew

Leonardo Drew crafts sculptures and installations out of a mix of found natural and manmade materials that evoke an urban living, humanity’s relationship with nature, and African American society, among other references. “Take a step back; the truth is right there,” he states, expressing his desire for viewers to engage with his pieces unencumbered by titles or explanations. His work is informed by his experience as an African American growing up in a public housing project. Urban detritus—including wooden scraps and objects from condemned housing and architectural sites, collected by homeless people he pays—figures in his compositions, together with tree branches, roots, paper, raw cotton, rust, and mud. Drew choreographs these materials into complex, textured forms that hold numerous stories.

Leonardo Drew

Leonardo Drew

Leonardo Drew is a contemporary artist based in Brooklyn, New York. He makes sculptures from natural materials using the process of oxidation, decay, and burning. He turns these objects into massive sculptures into pieces of art that critiqued the cyclical nature of existence and social injustices. Many of the materials that Leonardo Drew uses are simple everyday items such as wood, paper, and rope. Since switching to printmaking, Leonardo claims that the only thing that changes is the medium, the art however, is still the same.

Printmaking

https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-leonardo-drew-challenges-himself-and-the-traditions-of

Read the article and post images and explain the work of Leonardo Drew.