José Luis González: Long Ways

For years, José Luis González has drawn as a way to remember. He often works with sketchbooks as a spontaneous visual journal, capturing day-to-day life in locations such as Buenos Aires, Tirana, Berlin, St. John's or his chosen home community of English Harbour on the Bonavista Peninsula. His drawings are humble, humorous and intimate records of his experiences. 

Throughout, González hints at his exploration of what it means to belong. “I have lived in Newfoundland for a decade, but I am often classified as a stranger,” he describes. “And yet, when I go back to Argentina, people say I don’t belong there either. I am in a form of limbo, trying to make a space. Over time, I have gotten used to living in that in-between place, embracing it as I encounter various ideas of home and nationality." This exhibition serves as an homage to life in limbo.

About the Artist

José Luis González was born in Avellaneda, a city in the metropolitan area of Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1980. He worked for the most important animation studios in the city as an illustrator, graphic designer, animator and art director. Meanwhile, he self-published and exhibited his work online and through different independent publications. He has published two graphic novels, "Antes de Volver" and "Año Sabático," released by Musaraña Editora, in Argentina. He has also published several short-length books featuring the downtown St. John's music scene and other subjects. His approach uses humour and self-deprecation. He contributed to the cultural newspapers The Scope and The Overcast and created posters and artwork for local musicians such as Neil Conway, Ouroboros and Skylarks. He is the co-creator of Toporama Prints, a design and screen printing studio based in English Harbour, NL. Since the end of 2009, he has lived between Newfoundland and Labrador and Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

Some of the sketchbooks and images on display have been edited and published as graphic novels, and the unpublished material is part of an ongoing project called "Mundo Flotante" (The Floating World).

Learn more about José’s work at www.elmundodejl.com

Image credit: Drawings by José Luis González (created between 2013 – Present). Image courtesy of the artist.