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About

One of the foremost contemporary portrait painters working today, John Sonsini creates expressive and politically charged portraits of Los Angeles day workers and intimate portraits of his partner, Gabriel Barajas. Known for his dexterous use of oil paint, Sonsini paints directly from life capturing his sitter’s physical and psychological presence. Sonsini has painted over two hundred portraits of Barajas, who was his sole subject for nearly six years dating back to 1995. During the pandemic, Sonsini began to paint Barajas again both in response to the new constraints of having sitters at the studio and in the interest of returning to a familiar subject. Painted with the immediacy of portrait photography and the tactility of paint typically associated with painterly abstraction, these works evoke a shared experience of looking repeatedly at the same subject. Sonsini focuses on the color of Barajas’s shirt, the growth of facial hair, the angle of light, or the color of the background, but with sustained attention, one begins to notice the variations in the application of paint, brushstrokes, and tonalities.

John Sonsini was born in Rome, NY in 1950 and lives and works in Southern California and Mexico. He received his BA from California State University Northridge in 1975. His work will be the subject of a book written by David Pagel and published by Radius Books in 2024. Recent solo exhibitions include A Day’s Labor: Portraits by John Sonsini, Art Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA; and Daywork: Portraits, Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA. His work has been featured in group exhibitions at the Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY; Tang Teaching Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY; Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C.; the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, UT; the Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA; the National Portrait Gallery, Washington, D. C. and at the Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY.

His work is in the public collections of the Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles; The Broad Art Foundation, Santa Monica, CA; Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York; Cornell University, Ithaca, NY; The Frances Young Tang Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY; Hammer Museum, University of California, Los Angeles; Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA; Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA; Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles; Marieluise Hessel Collection, Hessel Museum of Art, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY; McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX; Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN; Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles; Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA; Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, CA; Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR;  San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA; Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA; The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.; The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; and The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York; among others.

Selected Works

This image depicts an artwork by John Sonsini titled "Rigo." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 20" x 16" [HxW] (50.8 x 40.64 cm). Its medium is Oil on canvas.
John Sonsini
“Rigo,” 2024
This image depicts an artwork by John Sonsini titled "Francisco & Oscar." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 72" x 60" [HxW] (182.88 x 152.4 cm). Its medium is Oil on canvas.
John Sonsini
“Francisco & Oscar,” 2024
This image depicts an artwork by John Sonsini titled "Still Life #12." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 18" x 24" [HxW] (45.72 x 60.96 cm)19 ¹⁄₈" x 25 ¹⁄₈" x 2" [HxWxD] (48.59 x 63.83 x 5.08 cm) framed. Its medium is Oil on canvas.
John Sonsini
“Still Life #12,” 2024
This image depicts an artwork by John Sonsini titled "Still Life #9." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 48" x 36" [HxW] (121.92 x 91.44 cm); 49 ¹⁄₄" x 37 ¹⁄₄" x 2" [HxWxD] (125.09 x 94.61 x 5.08 cm) framed. Its medium is Oil on canvas.
John Sonsini
"Still Life #9," 2024
This image depicts an artwork by John Sonsini titled "David." This artwork was created in 2024 and measures 24" x 20" [HxW] (60.96 x 50.8 cm); 25 ¹⁄₄" x 21 ¹⁄₈" x 1 ¹⁄₂" [HxWxD] (64.13 x 53.65 x 3.81 cm) framed. Its medium is Watercolor drawing on canvas board.
John Sonsini
"David," 2024
John Sonsini “Rogelio,” 2022
John Sonsini
“Rogelio,” 2022
John Sonsini “Roger,” 2022
John Sonsini
“Roger,” 2022
This image depicts an artwork by John Sonsini titled "Gabriel." This artwork was created in 2021 and measures 20" x 16" [HxW] (50.8 x 40.64 cm). Its medium is Oil on canvas.
John Sonsini
"Gabriel," 2021
John Sonsini “Pedro,” 2014/2018
John Sonsini
“Pedro,” 2014/2018
John Sonsini “Saul,” 2019
John Sonsini
“Saul,” 2019
John Sonsini “Francisco,” 2019
John Sonsini
“Francisco,” 2019
John Sonsini “Francisco,” 2019
John Sonsini
“Francisco,” 2019
John Sonsini “Apt 206,” 2019
John Sonsini
“Apt 206,” 2019
John Sonsini “Manuel,” 2013
John Sonsini
“Manuel,” 2013
John Sonsini “Saul & Lorenzo,” 2008
John Sonsini
“Saul & Lorenzo,” 2008

Exhibitions

1975
BA, California State University, Northridge, CA

Selected Solo and Two Person Exhibitions

2024
"Still Life Stories," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2023
"Watercolors," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2020
"Cowboy Stories & New Paintings," Vielmetter Los Angeles, CA
2019
"John Sonsini," Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
“A Day’s Labor: Portraits by John Sonsini,” Art Design & Architecture Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
2018
“Daywork: Portraits,” Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
2016
Ameringer | McEnery | Yohe, New York, NY
2015
“John Sonsini,” Patrick Painter Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2013
“John Sonsini: New Paintings,” Bentley Gallery, Phoenix, AZ
2012
“John Sonsini: Paintings,” Kucera Gallery, Seattle, WA
“John Sonsini: New Paintings,” Inman Gallery, Houston, TX
“John Sonsini: Men,” Hamilton College, Emerson Gallery, Clinton, NY
2011
“Los Vaqueros,” James Kelly Contemporary, Santa Fe, NM
2010
“Broad Reminders: The Paintings of John Sonsini,” ACME, Los Angeles, CA
“Portraits from Los Angeles,” Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, UT
2008
“New Paintings,” ACME, Los Angeles, CA
2007
“John Sonsini: Paintings and Drawings,” Atkinson Gallery, Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara, CA
“John Sonsini,” Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2006
“New Paintings,” ACME., Los Angeles, CA
2005
“John Sonsini,” Anthony Grant Gallery, New York, NY
“Cerca Series: John Sonsini,” Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA
2003
“Portraits,” ACME, Los Angeles, CA
“John Sonsini,” Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
2002
ACME, Los Angeles, CA
2000
“Gabriel,” ACME., Los Angeles, CA
1999
“Gabriel, New Paintings,” Dan Bernier Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1998
“John Sonsini, New Photographs,” David Aden Gallery, Venice, CA
1997
“Photographs of John Sonsini,” Tom of Finland Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1995
Dan Bernier Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
1986
Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1983
Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1982
Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA

Selected Group Exhibitions

2024
"To Move Toward the Limits of the Living: LGBTQ+ Works from the Collection," Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, CA
"Unfinished," The Robert and Frances Fullerton Museum of Art, Fullerton, CA
2023
"Perpetual Portrait," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2022-2023
"Order / Reorder: Experiments with Collections," Hudson River Museum, Yonkers, NY
2022
"Where Words Falter: Art and Empathy," Tang Teaching Museum, Saratoga Springs, NY
"Some People," Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2021
"Art and Hope at the End of the Tunnel," USC Fisher Museum, Los Angeles, CA
2020
"20 Years," Vielmetter Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA
2019
The Warmth of Other Suns: Stories of Global Displacement,” The Phillips Collection, Washington, D.C
“Collecting on the Edge,” Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, UT
2018
“Belief in Giants,” Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
“Modern and Contemporary,” Cantor Arts Center, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
“From the Collection of Karen & Robert Duncan,” The Assemblage, Lincoln, NE
2017
“The Sweat of Their Face: Portraying American Workers,” National Portrait Gallery, Washington DC
2016
“Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection,” Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY
“Us is Them,” Pizzuti Collection, Columbus, OH
2015
“The Human Touch: Selections from the RBC Wealth Management Art Collection,” Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, NY
2014
“The Triumph of Love: Beth Rudin DeWoody Collects,” Norton Museum of Art, West Palm Beach, FL
“Who we are, Selections from the Collection of Karen & Robert Duncan,” Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum, Clarinda, IA
“Concrete Infinity, Selections from the Permanent Collection,” Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
2013
“Mr & Mrs,” James Salomon Contemporary, New York, NY
“Art of the West,” Autry National Center of the American West, Los Angeles, CA
“The Human Touch: Selections from the RBC Wealth Management Art Collection,” Scottsdale
Museum of Contemporary Art, Scottsdale, AZ
2012
“Domestic Relations,” Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Mr & Mrs,” James Salomon Contemporary, New York, NY
“All I Want is a Picture,” Angles Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Body Language,” Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA
“SFMOMA: Contemporary Painting, 1960 to the Present: Selections from The Permanent Collection,” SFMOMA, San Francisco, CA
“¡Cuidado! - The Help,” Greg Kucera Gallery, Seattle, WA
2011
“Mise-en-Scène,” Elizabeth Leach Gallery, Portland, OR
“Works of Paper,” ACME, Los Angeles, CA
Tobey C. Moss Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2010
“Disquieted,” Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
“Personal Identities: Contemporary Portraits,” University Art Gallery, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, CA
“Private Display,” New York Academy of Art, New York, NY
“Think Pink,” Gavklak Gallery, Palm Beach, FL
“The Human Touch,” Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE
2009
“Posture,” Peter Blake Gallery, Laguna Beach, CA
“With You I Want to Live,” Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale, Fort Lauderdale, FL
2008
“Other People,” UCLA Hammer Museum, Los Angeles, CA
“The Sum of Its Parts,” Cheim & Read, New York, NY
2006
“Art on Paper 2006 ” Weatherspoon Art Museum, Greensboro, NC
“Selected Paintings - Los Angeles,” Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA
“Twice Drawn,” Tang Teaching Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
2005
“Plip, Plip, Plipity,” Richard Telles Fine Art, Los Angeles, CA
2004
“Singing My Song,” ACME., Los Angeles, CA
“Rogelio,” Installation painting, San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA, curated by JoAnne Northrup
“About Painting,” Tang Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
“SPF, Self-Portraits,” Angles Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
2003
“intimates,” Angles Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“ACME. @ Inman,” Inman Gallery, Houston, TX
2002
“nude + narrative,” P. P. O. W. , New York, N Y
“L.A. Post Cool,” The San Jose Museum of Art, San Jose, CA
“Representing L. A. ,” Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA
2001
“Made in California: Art, Image, and Identity 1900-2000,” Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
“Painting: Fore and Aft,” ACME., Los Angeles, CA
Mark Moore Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1999
“Portraits from L. A. ,” Robert and Francis Fullerton Museum of Art, California State University, San Bernardino, C A
1998
“Photographs,” David Aden Gallery, Venice, C A
“Examining Sexuality,” Marc Arranaga, Los Angeles, CA
1997
“Private Reserve,” Photo Impact Gallery, Hollywood, CA
1996
Rosamund Felson Gallery, Santa Monica, CA, curated by Michael Duncan
1994
“L. A. Nude,” Photo Impact Gallery, Hollywood, CA
“LAX the L. A. Biennial,” Otis Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1992
“Contemporary Figure,” Pasadena City College, Pasadena, CA, curated by Peter Frank
1991
“L.A. Nude,” Photo Impact Gallery, Hollywood, CA
1990
“Feminine/Masculine,” Christopher John Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“Time,” Marc Richards Gallery, Santa Monica, CA
“Humans Being,” Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1986
“Issues,” Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
1985
“Perspectives,” California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA
“Contemporary Monotypes,” Security Pacific Plaza, Los Angeles, CA
“Paintings/Invitational Candidate Exhibition,” American Academy & Institute of Arts and Letters, New York, NY
1984
“Pastels,” Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, C A
“Seventeen Self Portraits,” Occidental College, Los Angeles, CA
“No Finish Line,” Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles,CA
“From Los Angeles,” Eason Gallery, Santa Fe, NM
1983 “Figure Fascination,” Jan Baum Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Monoprints from Angeles Press,” Newspace Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
“Four L. A. Painters,” The American Gallery, Los Angeles, C A

Selected Projects

2012
“The Extraordinary Life & Times of Bruce of L.A., 1948-1974,” from the Collection of John Sonsini, Pacific Standard Time Gallery Exhibition, Stephen Cohen Gallery, Los Angeles, CA, curated by John Sonsini
2007
The Puerto Vallarta Project, Jalisco, Mexico
The Brooklyn Project, Brooklyn, NY
The Santa Barbara Project, Santa Barbara, CA
2005
DAYL ABOR/Hollywood Work Center, Los Angeles, CA

Group Exhibition Catalogues and Books

2021
Pagel, David. "John Sonsini," Miles McEnery Gallery, New York, NY
2008
Dini, Jane, The Male Portraits of John Sonsini, Santa Barbara City College, Santa Barbara, CA.
2007
Grove, Jeffrey, John Sonsini, Cheim & Read, New York, NY.
2005
Berry, Ian, John Sonsini: New Paintings, Anthony Grant Inc., New York, NY.
2001
Leddick, David, Male Nude Now, Taschen.
Made in California: Art, Image, Identity 1900-2000, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA.
2000
Fuglie, Gordon L., Representing LA, Pictorial Currents in Southern California Art, Frye Art Museum, Seattle, WA.
1999
Ianco-Starrels, Josine, Portraits From L. A. , Robert V. Fullerton Museum, San Bernardino, CA.
1998
Lucie-Smith, Edward, Adam: The Male Figure In Art, Rizzoli. Leddick, David, The Male Nude - 100 Year History, Taschen.
2016
Berry, Ian, Jeffrey Grove, Allan M. Jalon, John Sonsini, exhibition catalogue, Ameringer | McEnery | Yohe, New York, NY.
2010
Wood, Eve, John Sonsini, exhibition brochure, ACME., Los Angeles, CA.
Duncan, Michael, Portraits from Los Angeles, Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, UT.
2009
Lippman, Irvin M., The Collection of Gordon Locksley & George Shea, Museum of Art, Fort Lauderdale, FL.

Bibliography

2024
Lee, Sophia. "Thinking of Extending Your Design Fair Trip in Los Angeles? Here Are This Month’s 9 Must- See Exhibitions in the City," May 20 (Link)
2022
Stone, Marrie. "Francis De Erdely’s Striking Figures strikes a resonant chord at the Laguna Art Museum," Stu News Laguna, June 30 (Link)
2021
Teicholz, Tom. "Edward Goldman’s Own ‘Made In LA’— Pandemic Version," Forbes, October 19 (Link)
Moldan, Tessa. "Expo Chgo Online: Six Artwork Highlights," Oculus, April 1 (Link)
2020
"Hot right now: 10 American post-war and contemporary artists to have in your collection," Christies, February 14 (Link)
Stamberg, Susan. "Artist Says His Portraits Of Day Laborers Are Paintings — Not Statements," NPR, February 13 (Link)
Pagel, David. "Review: The secret behind John Sonsini’s profound portraits of L.A. day laborers," Los Angeles Times, January 30 (Link)
2019
Cameron, Jon. "John Sonsini," Brooklyn Rail, May (Link)
2013
Gonzalez, Daniel. “Painter John Sonsini’s Works Portray Quiet Dignity of Day Laborers,” The Republic, March 26
2012
Zastudil, Nancy. “John Sonsini: Men at Work,” Arts+Culture Magazine Houston, February
2010
Pagel, David. “Partly Visible Stories.” Los Angeles Times 2 July: D19.
2002
Goldman, Edward. “Art Talk.” KCRW, September.
Wood, Eve. “It’s All About the Gaze.” Artnet
Bradley, Myrium. “The Collaborators John Sonsini and his Model, Gabriel, Make a Fine Art Pair.” art connoisseur volume #4.
2000
Goldman, Edward. “Art Talk.” KCRW 89.9 FM July.
1999
Pagel, David. “Every Face Tells a Story.” Los Angeles Times, December.
Duncan, Michael. “L. A. Portraiture: Post Cool.” Art in America October.
1996
Duncan, Michael. “John Sonsini at Dan Bernier.” Art in America, March
Pagel, David. “Solitary Pleasures?” Los Angeles Times, December.
Ayers, Anne, LAX, catalogue. 1993 Rawlins, Dorrit, Nasty, catalogue.
1995
Muchnic, Suzanne. “John Sonsini.” ArtNews, April
1994
Duncan, Michael. “L. A. Rising.” Art in America December.
1991
Frank, Peter, Go Figure, New Portraits, catalogue.
1990
Clarke, Orville O. “John Sonsini.” Southern California Home & Garden 3.
1986
Muchnic, Suzanne. “John Sonsini.” Los Angeles Times October.
1985
Clarke, Orville. “John Sonsini: The Look of Los Angeles.” L.A. Reader May.
Fehlau, F. “Figures and Figures.” In Style March.
1984 Baitz, Jon Robin. “Latin Connection.” L. A. Reader May.
Wolf, Leslie. “Seventeen Self-Portraits.” LA Weekly March.
Wolf, Leslie. “No Finish Line.” LA Weekly July.
1983
Wilson, William. “John Sonsini.” Los Angeles Times September.
Delgado, Michael. “John Sonsini.” LA Weekly September.
Knight, Christopher. “Monoprints from Angeles Press.” L. A. Herald Examiner May.
1982
Tuchman, Mitch. “John Sonsini: New Paintings.” LA Weekly September.
Muchnic, Suzanne. “John Sonsini.” Los Angeles Times September.
Muchnic, Suzanne. “Domestic Relation.” Los Angeles Times June.
Drohojowska, Hunter. “Four L.A. Painters.” LA Weekly April.
2013
“John Sonsini’s Expressionist Portraits of Latino Laborers.” Huffington Post January.
2011
Zevitas, Steven. “10 Must-See Painting Shows In The US: Summer Heat Edition.” Huffington Post July.
McGraw, Kate. “Intense Portraits.” Albuquerque Journal, June 25
White, Roger. “Get Real.” Modern Painters February: 55.
2010
Rodriguez, Frank. “The Remarkable Men of John Sonsini.” Artillery Nov/Dec: 26-30.
2009
Rubin, Edward. “With You I Want to Live.” D’art International Fall.
Trelles, Emma. “Locksley-Shea Collection at Museum of Art Fort Lauderdale.”
Bradner, Liesl. “Quite a Crowd.” Los Angeles Times 4 January: F2.
2008
Pagel, David. “Day Laborers in a New Line of Work.” Los Angeles Times 9 May: E17.
Wood, Eve. “John Sonsini at ACME.” Artillery July/August.
2007
Biel, Kim. “John Sonsini.” Art Ltd., West Coast Art & Design September
Woodard, Josef. “John Sonsini at Atkinson Gallery.” Santa Barbara Seasons Fall: 74-9.
2006
Wood, Eve. “John Sonsini.” artUS March- April.
2005
Duncan, Michael. “The Faces of Work.” Art in America December: 124-127.
Pincus, Robert L. “Face Time.” San Diego Union-Tribune 31 March.
Johnson, Ken. “John Sonsini at Anthony Grant.” New York Times 25 March: B29.
2003
Pagel, David. “Family, friends, other ‘Intimates.” Los Angeles Times, August 29
Cooper, Bernard. “In the Raw.” Los Angeles Magazine December: 124-128.

Public Collections

Autry Museum of the American West, Los Angeles, CA
AD&A Museum, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
Addison Gallery of American Art, Philips Academy, Andover, MA
Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL
The Broad Art Foundation, Santa Monica, CA
Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, NY
Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
The Frances Young Tang Museum, Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, NY
Hammer Museum, University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Henry Art Gallery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
High Museum of Art, Atlanta, GA
Long Beach Museum of Art, Long Beach, CA
Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Los Angeles, CA
Marieluise Hessel Collection, Hessel Museum of Art, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, TX
Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis, MN
The Mulvane Art Museum, Washburn University, Topeka, KS
Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles, CA
Museum of Contemporary Art, San Diego, CA
Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, Johnson County College, Overland Park, KS
Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art, Utah State University, Logan, UT
Palm Springs Art Museum, Palm Springs, CA
Portland Art Museum, Portland, OR
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
Santa Barbara Museum of Art, Santa Barbara, CA
The Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington, D.C.
The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York, NY
The Weatherspoon Museum, Greensboro, NC
The Whitney Museum of American Art, New York, NY