Transformative Art of Jota Leal

This stunning book of paintings and sketches displays the artistic genius of Jota Leal, a Venezuelan caricature artist. Leal breaks barriers with his art by encompassing not only the caricature element but also a powerful transformative component. Among his dynamic portraits are those of Johnny Depp, Jimi Hendrix, Salvador Dali, Marilyn Monroe, Al Pacino, and Babe Ruth. At first glance, his paintings are whimsical, and then probing. Not interested in merely capturing the physicality of a person, Leal transforms the figure into some sort of warped reality, while at the same time zeroing in on the core of the subject's being. Leal's style results in a synergy of remarkable painting skill, an intuitive sense of the subject's soul, and, often, a remarkable sense of humor. Leal creates with pencil on paper, acrylic on board, and acrylic on canvas to achieve his powerful images. He paints the inner soul of his subjects, and manifests this as their outer persona. He is an interpreter of the subconscious, translating with his pencils and brushes.
Jota has been obsessed with drawing and painting the human face for most of his thirty-six years. He began drawing and painting at a very young age and never studied fine art. He attended one art class at the age of six, but ran away after being forced to paint plastic fruit and empty bottles. Even at that age, Jota knew what he wanted to do. He wanted to paint people and their faces. His art follows the grand tradition of the great portrait painters of the past, as well as the more recent caricature masters. Jota's oeuvre is similar to the likes of Honore' Daumier and Otto Dix. His sense of humor shows the delicate whimsy of a Max Beerbohn or Al Hirschfeld, but with a more fully rendered painting style. He has carefully honed his craft, ever focused on pulling the facade away from the subject, and painting their inner being.