Visual Artist FdlM Pays Pictorial Tribute to Iconic Women on Women's History Month

Art has a responsibility and so too does the artist - one of the many requirements of art is that it elevates the viewer in some manner - not necessarily in spirit - but definitely in thought. In many ways Franck de las Mercedes embraces this responsibility as his work not only pleases aesthetically, it often teases intellectually. The viewer is often left having to dig deep within de las Mercedes subjects, tunneling with him, in a manner towards what can only be de?ned as the sublime. De las Mercedes, is also an artist that shares his existence with the viewer taking us through the ups and downs of not only his life, but of life in general - thereby adding the understanding of the human condition to his artistic responsibility.

Many years ago, de las Mercedes watched as his life's work went up in flames, as his studio burnt down one cold winter night. Returning to the ashes of what
was the home and hub of his creativity, he began to scoop up some of the ashes of what was home, art, literature, and music and memorialized all in a jar - the urn of the life he once had. In that jar were not only the ashes but also chunks of charcoal, which later evolved into the Blot work. Unconsciously immersing himself in the works, he later realized that the series became his attempt to reclaim all that he lost in the ?re. The series covers his lost books, his lost music and just as the phoenix - de las Mercedes has resurrected not only his creative edge - but those who have inspired him along his journey into art.

De las Mercedes in his Blot Series play tribute, as stated above to all those who have guided him, shaped him, and inspired him, and this month being Women's History Month, we look to some of the women who have helped him along his artistic and creative path. One can clearly see that this is not a patriarchal world that de las Mercedes inhabits as he only dwells in the universe of creativity where the work matters, not the gender, but he does know, as we all do, of the many gender bias that women have had to struggle through on their journey towards recognition based upon merit and not gender.

The women that de las Mercedes draws inspiration from include authors like: Dickinson, Bronte, Plath, Rowling, and Allende among others. What is interesting about just this mix is how Gothic Literature, Romanticism, Modernism and Magic Realism also can be found in various series of de las Mercedes through the combination of subject to painterly application, which interestingly often seem to unify under a balance of both the conscious and a stream of consciousness, thus mirroring the written text.

Music also play a large role in de las Mercedes' art and here in this series he pays homage to legends including Bessie Smith and Edith Piaf, both historic women who in their own right and time overstepped the limitations of gender and forever altered the path of music. He also looks to the women in music today bringing our attention to Madonna, Niki Minaj, Lady Gaga, and Lauren Hill, to name a few. One thing all these women have in common is how they changed the industry but also took full possession of their identity, and in a very true sense took control of some stereotypes and have made them almost obsolete.

"With more than forty Blots directed and focused directly on women artists from various fields of the arts, Franck de las Mercedes not only resurrects what he lost that night his studio burnt down, but he shows the power and strength of women and how, when allowed to be who they want - the world does not end, chaos does not ensue - on the contrary - art happens." --Melanie Prapopopoulos The Directed Art Modern

See the series available now online:

http://www.franckdelasmercedes.com/gallery/blot-heads

Franck de las Mercedes is a visual artist working in an variety of techniques and imagery. Always exploring mediums and genres, his multifaceted body of work cycles from abstraction to realism, employing painting, collage, drawing, digital art, photography and writing. Franck's personal history, childhood memories and upbringing are extracted and combined with fragments of current events, family dynamics and books. Examining the contrast between memory and present-day cultural context, FdlM's paintings are a provocative, at time humorous, emotionally charged commentary on society and the human condition. The artist lives and works in New York City.

In 2006, de las Mercedes achieved international acclaim with his conceptual art project "The Priority Boxes." A public project conceived as a way to promote peace through participatory free art. The project has been adapted as a teaching tool for educators, community centers and art therapy counselors across the US.

Named one of "15 Artists About to Dominate 2015" by Complex magazine, Franck's painting "April Flowers" was selected by The Artists Unite Poster Project, in cooperation with the MTA, to become a poster to display in the elevators at the A line subway station. Recent exhibitions include, Sing for Hope Pianos 2017, The 5th Bronx Latin American Art Biennial, Queens Museum, BronxArtSpace, The Joan Mitchel Foundation, The Artists Unite MTA Poster Project, The Fabergé Big Egg Hunt New York, The NY Museum of Modern Art's "Abstract Currents", BKLYN Designs, Naples Museum of Art, Folklore Museum of Tripotamos Greece, The National College of Ireland, Ireland and The French Institute Alliance Française. His work is also a part of the Fundación Francisco de Quevedo's permanent collection in Ciudad Real, Spain.

For more information please visit:

http://www.fdlmstudio.com/