Luz Letts' acrylic paintings combine the most thought-provoking aspects of realism, reinterpreted from scenes she has seen in daily life. Letts portrays figures, anonymous men and women who are often caught in the middle of a narrative. Large figures support dozens of smaller ones which decorate subjects' arms and legs. A woman reveals a web of men tangled in her hair. Other works are less fantastical yet equally emotive: people lean towards and away from each other, they reach towards the sky, they kiss. Letts’ images are allegorical, speaking volumes about human conflict and personal history.

 

Stylistically, Letts’ work is deceptively straightforward. She uses strong yet realistic lines, smooth shading for a gentle sense of depth, and clean combinations of color that excise all the necessary tones to get to the heart of natural light. Her subjects have no distinguishing faces: they speak instead through their bodies. Her backdrops rely on color and shading to convey atmosphere. Each work shows a fully-formed world.

 

Letts was born in Lima, Peru, where she continues to live and work today. She has exhibited in Peru and many other countries, including Mexico and Honduras, both as a solo artist and in group shows.