Jersey City, NJ, September 5, 2024 – Jonathan LeVine Projects proudly presents a digital exhibition titled, Nothing Forever, by Tomo77, exploring the temporal nature of life. The exhibition opens on Thursday, September 5, 2024, and runs through Thursday, September 26, 2024, at www.jonathanlevineprojects.com.
The idea that “nothing lasts forever” reminds us that everything in life, from pain and evil to tyrants and wars, is temporary. Life’s fleeting nature teaches us that change is constant and nothing remains the same. Throughout history, art has captured this reality; reflecting the shifts in human nature, power struggles and the ever-changing forces that shape our world.
Tomo77 utilizes a process he refers to as “hand digital etching.” This technique is similar to wood carving but is executed on an iPad. Creating a single piece can take weeks or even months, as he meticulously draws each line by hand at full scale, without the use of automation. The end result is a digital plate or a hand-drawn piece, reproduced only once on Aluminum Dibond in Germany. Tomo77 has spent more than four years perfecting this technique, crafting impactful artworks that are both stylish and visually striking. In addition to the monoprints, this exhibition also features four oil paintings, hand-painted on canvas.
Acclaimed artist, Shepard Fairey, describes Tomo77 as “a master of dualities” and says that “it is in this tension that his art has the power to seduce, provoke, entrance, and agitate”. In a similar way, this new body of work seeks to connect people with those less fortunate, fostering empathy and understanding of their struggles. It confronts humanity’s relentless pursuit of money and power, the apocalyptic signs of our times, the challenges of immigration, nuclear threats, and a world burdened by tyranny and conflict. In the end, nothing will last forever…
Tomo77 is a Costa Rica-based artist whose work explores the complexities of human behavior, capitalism and pop culture, drawing deeply from his immigrant experience. With 30 years of experience in graphic design and art, his pieces have been featured in exhibitions at La Luz de Jesus LA, Saatchi Gallery 1st London, One Grand Gallery PDX, Mortal Machine NOLA, Mirus SF, StolenSpace London, Haksart Versailles and the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design Costa Rica. His work has also been highlighted in prominent publications like Hi-Fructose and Juxtapoz and he has collaborated with bands like Devo and Pearl Jam and artists like Shepard Fairey. He has also published a pandemic art book, “Pandemonium”.