Artist Franck De Las Mercedes Explores Memories Of War-torn Nicaragua In New July Exhibit

On July 11, The Directed Art Modern will transform its gallery space into a living newspaper with their new exhibition Monokhromos. From the Greek word "Monokhromos" the show will feature black and white, and monochromatic work from artists Franck de las Mercedes, B.L. Jesseph and Rob Anderson. In this exhibit, New York artist Franck de las Mercedes debuts a new series that explores the contrast between childhood memories of war-torn Nicaragua, and present day cultural context, to create hauntingly beautiful scenes of an urban landscape.

Painting with both his non-dominant hand and dominant hand, De las Mercedes switches back and forth from an adult perspective, to one of innocence, reinforcing a child-like quality that not only honors heroes and victims but also emphasize a child's inability to understand, articulate and accept the harsh and often contrary world around him, juxtaposed with the experience of adulthood.

Known for his multifaceted body of work and public art projects, De las Mercedes has silenced the vibrant use of color often associated with his large scale abstracts to question how we address the suffering of others and illuminate the resiliency of the human spirit.