Rafa Esparza's Keeping at Commonwealth and Council

Art

May 1

Written By

This Spring I had the opportunity to enjoy a private viewing of Rafa Esparza’s Keeping at Commonwealth & Council alongside the artist and curator, Erin Christovale. Although the pandemic is still very much present, things have settled down a bit in Los Angeles and I felt comfortable stepping foot in a gallery. I’ve really missed experiencing art in a public space! I hadn’t seen Rafa since, I cannot remember, but having vacationed with these two at Palm Heights in the Cayman Islands, I was looking forward to being within close proximity of their playful dynamic once again.

Rafa is one of my favorite artists so I was ecstatic to learn what a talented painter he is. Most of my experience with his work is steeped in performances, installations, and sculptures. When I witnessed his ground-floor adobe brick rotunda at the Whitney Biennial in 2017, I was blown away and have been following his work closely ever since. Getting to know him more as a person has only reaffirmed how lucky we are to experience his genius in our lifetime.

Here’s a collection of my favorite moments from the show.