Dr. Lakra

Ryals Thomas

Biography

• Born in 1972

• Born as Jeronimo Lopez Ramirez

• Son of Francisco Benjamín López Toledo, a graphic artist

• Based near Mexico City (Oaxaca, Mexico)

• Studied with Gabriel Orozco in 1980s

• Travelled to study various cultures at their origin, strongly influencing his art

Style• Does not limit himself to surfaces

– Does art on literally anything• Skin, Old dolls, Vintage Magazines, Walls, Canvas, etc.

– “As an artist, part of my work is finding materials I can draw on, surfaces that aren’t just white paper.”

• Occupation: Tattoo Artist• Got his name by carrying his tattooing tools in a

doctor’s bag• Lakra – a scar left by illness

– Slang for delinquents/lowlifes

• All of his works are untitled, but usually have a reference name.

• Untitled (Retrato de Mujer con Calaca), 2007

• Ink on Vintage Magazine

• 11in x 8.6in

Description

• A magazine cover from 1965 painted over with ink.

• A strong contradiction of a welcoming smile and a skull.

• Visible artistic strokes.• Both beauty and fear.

• Untitled (Retrato de Mujer con Calaca), 2007• Ink on Vintage Magazine• 11in x 8.6in

Analysis

• White skull somewhat blends in with the color of the original picture.

• Lines within skull show the skull’s form.

• Proper shading to give skull a 3D effect, blending with the original image.

• Untitled (Retrato de Mujer con Calaca), 2007• Ink on Vintage Magazine• 11in x 8.6in

Interpretation

• A contradiction of life and death, beauty and fear, love and hate.

• Truly defines “Beauty is only skin deep.”

• Shows that ones true intentions are not always visible. • Untitled (Retrato de Mujer con Calaca), 2007

• Ink on Vintage Magazine• 11in x 8.6in

Judgment

• Insightful work, drawing viewer emotion upon eye contact.

• Quickly gains viewer’s attention via contrasting ideas.

• Incredibly effective usage of new techniques and old material.

• Untitled (Retrato de Mujer con Calaca), 2007• Ink on Vintage Magazine• 11in x 8.6in

• Untitled (Chocolatitos), 2003

• Ink on paper• 44in x 55in

• Untitled (Estrella Blanca), 2005

• Ink on Poster• 18.8in x 13.3in

• Untitled (Dan Getulio Vargas), 2006

• Watercolor and Pencil on Vintage Magazine

• 15in x 11in

• Untitled (Black Gordman), 2003

• Ink on Vintage Magazine Print.

• 18.7in x 13.8in

• Untitled (Vestido Amarillo), 2004

• Ink on Vintage Magazine

• 13.2in x 9.8in

• Untitled (Cardenas), 2007

• Colored pencil and gouache on vintage magazine

• 15.25in x 11in

• Untitled (Hiroshima Tomonohira Take-Emon), 2007

• Pigment on Japanese Woodblock Print

• 13.8in x 9.2in

• Untitled (Vea), 2005• Ink on Vintage

Magazine• 16in x 18in

• Untitled (Mujer con Pajaros), 2003

• Colored ink and Polymer Paint on Vintage Magazine.

• 16.5in x 10.25in

• Untitled (Karloff Lagarde), 2007

• Ink on Vintage Poster• 28.75in x 18.75in

• Lakra bases a lot of his artwork off of his sketches or test trials of materials.

• Untitled (Doll Arm and Face Layout)

Inspiration

• Most of Dr. Lakra’s inspiration comes

from various cultures that use tattoos

and skin adjustments such as the Maori

of New Zealand and the Aztecs of

Central America.• Many of Lakra’s tattoo-esque works show a strong

influence from Japan and China.• Lakra’s other works are strongly influenced by Mexican

culture.

Traditional Maori Tattoo

Inspiration (Cont.)

• Lakra finds that exploring new media and trying new things is much more rewarding than a finished work.

• His murals are truly culturally influenced, usually involving totems or idols from older civilizations.

Examples of Dr. Lakra’s Murals

Inspiration (Cont.)

• In general, Dr. Lakra seems to be inspired by exploration of art materials as well as skin-altering societies and cultures.

• The subjects of his art are usually either spectral or human and promote ideas similarly to the Mexican celebration, “La Noche de las Brujas.”

• He is indefinitely inspired by his work and the inspiration he achieves within his artwork and medium exploration has been prevalent in his work.

Bibliography

• Images retrieved from:• www.phillipsdepury.com• www.photobucket.com

• Artist information from:• www.icaboston.org• www.metrowestdailynews.com• www.saatchi-gallery.co.uk