The Drawing Center

Presented in collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Art/Boston, this will be the first solo exhibition in New York by Mexican tattoo artist Dr. Lakra (b. 1972, Mexico). The presentation will feature a new site-specific wall drawing based on source material ranging from anatomy text books to magazine pin-ups and comic strips, shown alongside the artist’s collection of found vinyl record albums. Works on view will juxtapose the macho iconography of tattooing with the complex psyche of Lakra’s subject matter, mixing pop culture, history, religion, and humor into a layered image. With drawing always at the core of his practice, Lakra merges diverse cultural references to depict primal urges like sex and violence. The resulting work both transforms pre-existing imagery and creates entirely new images through his multiplicity of drawing styles.

Curated by Assistant Curator Rachel Liebowitz.

Image: Dr. Lakra, Untitled, 2010. Ink on paper, 11 x 8 ½ inches. Courtesy of the artist and Kurimanzutto, Mexico City.