Jeffrey Leder Gallery is pleased to present The Deeps: Selected Paintings by the established artist Wilfredo Chiesa. Opening February 20, 2011, and running through March 19, 2011 with a Landscape Group Exhibit to open on the same date.

Chiesa’s paintings reflect his deeply spiritual process, which result in brightly energetic, moving works. He believes whole-heartedly in the “sensual experience of art, and the gospel of art.” Almost primal in their simplicity, Chiesa’s works have a deceptive complexity and elegance of emotion. “His richly textured combination of darker hues and earth tones combine with white to create a mysterious and evocative blend. These paintings beautifully move the viewer toward an imagined world of perceptions and consciousness,” says gallery director Jeffrey Leder.

“I am proud and excited to show some my newest paintings at Jeffrey’s gallery and to support his vision of a robust Long Island City creative scene. He was among my earliest supporters and remains a valued source of encouragement and advice,” says Chiesa of his longtime associate.

He was born in Old San Juan and studied at the School of Plastic Arts of Puerto Rico. He has held over 30 international solo exhibitions and has participated in numerous group shows, including the Sao Paulo Biennial, the Cuenca Biennial, and the Ljubljana Biennial. Chiesa is Professor of Art at University of Massachusetts Boston, where he has been teaching for over 25 years. He has also been a visiting artist and juror at many other academic institutions. In addition to painting, Chiesa has worked on limited-edition Artist Books and has also created public site-specific installations in Venice, Italy and New York City. His collectors include The Museum of Modern Art, São Paulo, The Museum of Modern Art, Bogotá, La Casa del Libro, San Juan, The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, Harvard University, The Library of Congress in Washington, The National Library in Paris, The International Print Museum in Fredrickstad, and The Institute for Art and Culture in Catania.