Victor Hugo Zayas

Sculptor and painter Victor Hugo Zayas is known for his work that balances on the line between realism and expressionism. His expressionistic style displays influence from the impressionist movement while incorporating a modern twist.

Born in 1961 in Mazatlan, Mexico, Zayas immigrated to the United States in 1977 to study art. The artist currently lives in Los Angeles, California where he works out of a large warehouse on the grounds of the only winery in Los Angeles.

There are two Zayas paintings in the Escalette Collection at Chapman University. Lluvia represents a cityscape: this unidentified city was constructed by the artist using thick brushstrokes in an impressionistic style, evoking a somber mood through the use of dark pigment. Moving towards expressionism, the second Zayas painting, Cielo, or ”sky” in Spanish, represents an element in nature, a dramatic sky scene and darkening atmosphere. These two dissimilar paintings show an array of the artist’s influences and represent Zayas’ repertoire of painting.

To read a review of Zayas in the OC Register, click here