Juxtapoz Magazine - Rise above it: John Rivas @ Francois Ghebaly New York

"Salvadoran-American artist John Rivas holds close to ancestry and cultural identity in his work. In raw, expressive scenes of loved ones, domestic life, childhood memories, and familial histories, Rivas aims his art-making through a deeply personal lens, honoring the work and voices of those closest."

"His practice has long been characterized by material resourcefulness and a necessity-driven approach that layers found fabrics, drygoods, heirlooms, embroidery, gifted materials, household supplies, and painting into earnest, sensitive representations of the people and places around him."

"Throughout the exhibition, Rivas's newest sculptures continue to explore material intimacy and collaborative processes, with several works produced alongside his father, a construction worker who has appeared in Rivas's paintings before and whose tradecraft informs the artist's hand."

John Rivas's second solo exhibition at François Ghebaly New York, titled Rise above it, marks his first presentation at the Lower East Side location. The Salvadoran-American artist creates deeply personal work centered on ancestry, cultural identity, domestic life, and familial histories. His practice combines found fabrics, heirlooms, embroidery, and household materials with painting. In this exhibition, Rivas introduces hand-carved and painted wooden sculptures inspired by Northern California redwood carvings and global polychrome traditions. The eleven works feature collaborative processes with his father, a construction worker whose tradecraft influences the artist's approach. The sculptures employ brushstroke-like carving and fabric folds to convey movement, depicting scenes from Rivas's life and memory while exploring material intimacy and labor.

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