Roman Villarreal captures the spirit of South Chicago in his art, reflecting the people, places and life experiences of his community. The artist’s first major retrospective, Intuit’s exhibition spans decades of his artistic practice, featuring works from the 1970s to the present day. A self-taught sculptor and painter, Villarreal tackles complex subjects through creative experimentation in a diversity of media. Frequent subjects range from urban tragedy and commemoration to family life and celebration to exploration of his Mexican heritage.
Villarreal’s mastery of materials—alabaster, marble, limestone, serpentine, acrylic—has resulted in several public commissions, notably Tribute to the Past (2015) at Steelworkers Park in Chicago’s southeast side. His public works may be found throughout the city of Chicago.
