SELFISMO & KEVIN SELFISMO JR

Space Station Orlando Presents:

SELFISMO & KEVIN SELFISMO JR

Paintings by Enrique “SELFISMO” Hernandez and Kevin Gonzalez

Featuring a musical and vocal performance by:

The Queen of Opera aka D’Andrea Pelletier

and a DJ set by Mr. Mogembo

Curated by Aaron Paul Sarkisian

Opening Reception-

Friday, September 15th from 6pm-10pm

Extended Gallery Hours-

Saturday, September 16th from 12pm-4pm

Artist Talk from 2:00-3:00 followed by Q&A

This event is free with a suggested donation. We are also offering a VIP ticket that comes with a unique drawing signed by the artist.

Please reach out to schedule private gallery viewings: [email protected]

We are honored to present both of these artists’ journeys geographically and artistically. This September marks SELFISMO’s 8th year residing in the United States and his son, Kevin Gonzalez’s, 8th month here. In this exhibition you will find never before shown works made in Cuba, Spain, Canada and the US. Along with newly created paintings, small sculptures, limited edition prints and artist merch.

SELFISMO and Kevin have taught themselves and created a unique style with the most classic medium, paint on canvas. They also choose to execute the craft in the most classic way by painting, showing and selling works on downtown street corners. They do spend ample time in thier home studio and practice other mediums, but if there are people gathering downtown you can almost always catch them out there sharing thier vision of “SELFISMO STYLE”

Artist bio’s:

Enrique “SELFISMO” Hernandez

Mythical beings in vibrant color. Faces swirling in fractal patterns. Paintings by Enrique Hernandez are a distinct abstract art he calls “SELFISMO STYLE”.

Born in Cuba, Hernandez grew up in a rich cultural heritage infused with African and Latin influences which are evident in his subjects and use of color. He drew comics as a child and then experimented with graffiti, occasionally vandalizing walls in Havana to speak out against oppression.

When Enrique was reprimanded in ninth grade for drawing a political satire of Fidel Castro, he realized art can be a powerful tool of self expression. A freedom he was denied in Cuba. The political restraints stifled Hernandez’s desire to create art for some time.

At age 17, his hand was cut off in a gruesome assault by his peers. This traumatic experience led him to seek psychiatric treatment. It was not until he revisited his passion as an artist that he was able to transcend the trauma and truly begin healing.

In 2009 he left Cuba and moved to Salamanca, Spain, to pursue art full time. He then relocated to Calgary, Canada. There he advanced his career by participating in numerous art projects and events.

Currently, Hernandez resides in Orlando, Florida, where he is an active member of the community’s art scene. As a solo artist, he has held residency and painted live, almost daily, for the last several years at Bauhaus in the Hanson building in downtown Orlando.

When he is not there painting you can find him live painting on instagram or at events, or even set up along Orange Avenue showing and selling works. This past year, to make his work accessible and show his love for the streets, he started a free art campaign by leaving his paintings on street corners for anyone to have and enjoy.

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Kevin “SELFISMO Jr” Gonzalez

Kevin Jesus Gonzalez was born in Havana on December 25, 2000 and is the son of Enrique Hernandez. As a child he participated in sports like wrestling, baseball and soccer. He completed school through ninth grade.

Since leaving school at such a young age he struggled to find something to do. He found passion in cooking classes and worked in kitchens. Later at age 18, he enlisted in the army where he served for 1.5 years. Before leaving Cuba he worked in a hotel kitchen in Old Havana.

While he was growing up he always saw his father as a painter. At age 11, he tried to create and draw for the first time. Although he wasn’t really interested in art at first, his father continued to encourage him to do more by sending financial support for him to keep drawing and painting. His father would often suggest to do a series of pieces at a time.

In this way his father continued to encourage him to do something positive and keep it as a habit. Kevin has continued to create over the years. He explored working with different mediums like markers, pencil and then evolving to paint on canvas. He thanks God that he found art, and made a promise to himself to keep creating for the rest of his life.

In January of 2023, Kevin’s life changed drastically when he relocated to the United States to live with his father, Selfismo. Kevin has been really inspired since then and has created many new pieces, some of which you will see in this show.