Life of Us
Mixed media painting and collage on canvas with accompanying sculptural/relief elements • Attributed to Jesu Lugo (Mexican contemporary artist)
Style & Movement
Contemporary Latin American Art, Naïve Art, Magic Realism, and Mixed Media Collage
Medium & Technique
Acrylic, oil, mixed media collage elements (including newspaper clippings, printed graphics, found objects) applied with layered brushwork, texture paste, and pasted collage
Creation Period
Late 20th to Early 21st Century (circa 1990s-2010s)
Dimensions & Format
Estimated medium-to-large scale rectangular landscape format (approximately 30 x 40 inches)
Subject Description
A dense, highly detailed narrative landscape set against a dominant golden-yellow background. The composition incorporates rich textural elements, dense foliage or earth tones in the lower and central portions, interspersed with surreal or symbolic icons including telephone imagery, lightbulbs, printed text and foreign scripts (such as Arabic typography on a simulated newspaper), silhouetted figures, monkey motifs, citrus slices, clouds, and abstract geometric patterns. The top edge features small mounted relief figures and cut-out sculptural elements extending beyond the standard canvas plane.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Good. The work appears stable with integrated collage elements secured well, typical minor surface dust appropriate for an unglazed mixed-media canvas.
Estimated Market Value
$1,500 - $3,500 USD
Auction Estimate
$1,000 - $2,500 USD
Provenance History
Directly acquired from or associated with the artist Jesu Lugo, reflecting contemporary Mexican regional art markets and private collections.
Art Historical Significance
Representative of contemporary narrative mixed-media art from Latin America, combining folk-art sensibilities with complex urban and socio-political iconography. Works of this type explore identity, memory, and everyday surrealism.
Notable Features
Incorporation of mixed-media collage elements including foreign text, newspaper fragments, symbolist iconography (telephones, lightbulbs), and unique three-dimensional figures positioned along the upper frame of the canvas.
Condition Issues
Potential susceptibility of delicate paper collage elements and attached sculptural top pieces to environmental fluctuations, dust accumulation, and UV exposure.
Conservation Recommendations
Display away from direct sunlight and high humidity. Gentle dusting with a soft, dry brush by a professional conservator. Ensure secure mounting for any protruding sculptural elements.
Collector Notes
Artist Jesu lugo Mexican life of us Artie R