Artist Luis Pinto Gets All Mystical and Prehistoric in New Exhibit

Luis Pinto

Man and myth: in artist Luis Pinto's latest exhibit, opening today at Kidrobot, the two are one and the same.

Pinto's "Before the Legends of Man" creates a continuous story that takes you on a journey into world mythologies. "My work is the developing of a mythology from scratch," he explains, "utilizing all the elements from existing mythologies and ideologies. The work that I am showing at Kidrobot is just the work that lead me to produce the work I am now developing."

The show consists of 20 ink and charcoal drawings from 2009 to 2011, featuring some of Pinto's signature elements: simple geometric shapes, architectural structures, and organic forms such as eyes, clouds and hands. But the story behind it is, like, far out, man.
"The idea of these images is that they are gates. Each one of these is a gate that leads into another reality all existing on the same plane," he says. "The gates are not solid; they just appear to be. They are made up of light bending in a way that creates a form, so every plane is actually another door into another realm."

Trippy stuff, but stay with us: "Theoretically my idea of a spirit is [that] it exists, but is invisible until it is brought into reality by you summoning it," Pinto continues. "It's the same with these shapes, except they display themselves for each other and not for humans, since they do not yet exist in this part of the mythology."

We ... aren't entirely sure we get it either. But we're digging the new world Pinto creates in his drawings nonetheless -- a mystical, spiritual, and magical world to be explored without limitations of convention, whether in mind or space. "Before the Legends of Man" imagines a world prior to human existence, before anything in it had yet been defined by man.

And the Kidrobot exhibit is just one portal into that world. Pinto is also developing a book of art "full of illustrations, characters, and mini stories," all part of and within a larger story. "Kind of like the Bible," says Pinto.

Come out to Kidrobot this Thursday to see the work of Luis Pinto and make sure you come early to snatch up a limited edition zine for sale for $5, which contains copies of some of the work on display in the show, numbered and signed by the artist.

"Before the Legends of Man" opening at Kidrobot, 638 Collins Avenue, Miami Beach 33139 from 6 -8 pm on Thursday June 7. Get there early to snag a limited edition zine for $5, containing copies of some of the work on display in the show, each signed and numbered by the artist.


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