Ramiro Hernandez

b. 1986; San Diego, CA; lives and works in Los Angeles, CA

Ramiro Hernandez’s painting practice focuses on youth, beauty, aspiration and self-discovery.  Having grown up in San Diego, the artist’s work is influenced by the suburban and coastal landscapes of Southern California.  Dominated by dusty and warm pinks, purples and greys, his paintings highlight the beauty and wonder of the area’s awe-inspiring atmosphere.  Hernandez’s paradisiac snapshots are gently pervaded by concern, they tenderly contrast the beautiful elements against the invasive pollutants and wildfires that ravage the area.  In addition to his land- and seascape paintings, the artist’s work also features adolescents.  Often locking eyes with the viewer, at once a moment of recognition and self-reflection, his subjects act as faded snapshots of captured moments.  These delicate and veiled scenes are imbued with nostalgia, referencing distant echoes and dissolving memories.  Taking inspiration from traditional painting practice and the works of Old Masters, Hernandez presents scenes of idolized adolescence, innocent youth, dawning awareness and moments of discovery framed through a suburban lens.  Ramiro Hernandez’s paintings put the viewer into the role of voyeur - one peering into an intimate moment, catching a glimpse of an innocent scene while passing by a lamplit window or happening upon a private photograph in a forgotten drawer.

Ramiro Hernandez has exhibited at Massey Klein Gallery, Harkawik Gallery in New York, Baik Art in Seoul, Bozo Mag in Los Angeles and Pasadena, F2T Gallery in Milan, Marinaro Gallery in New York, M+B Gallery in Los Angeles, Nino Mier Gallery in Los Angeles, the Tecoah and Thomas Bruce Galleries at the California College of Arts in Oakland, the Bluebird Art House in Whittier, and the North/South Gallery at the CCA, among others.  In 2022, Massey Klein featured new and recent works by Hernandez on David Zwirner’s Platform. Hernandez was featured by New American Paintings in their 2021 Pacific Coast issue. He graduated with a BFA in Painting from the California College of the Arts in San Francisco in 2010. The artist lives and works in Los Angeles, CA.