Gabriel Pilar Pala
...is a Peruvian-American mixed media artist born and raised in New York City. His bold and vibrant portraiture captures the intricate beauty and striking personalities of people of color, often blending unique materials in his practice, such as braces and pearls.
Deeply influenced by his upbringing in a first-generation inner-city community, Gabriel counteracts monolithic ideologies by depicting the complex self-admiration of the black and brown individual. The figures that reside within his fluorescent panels are often not representative of a specific person; but rather a medley of various faces, personalities & cultures that raised him.
Gabriel received the American-Illustration 43 Selected Recipient Award and collaborated with Brooklyn Cloth for the Latinx Heritage Month apparel line in 2024. Gabriel earned his BFA in Illustration from the School of Visual Arts in 2024, where he was honored with the Silas H. Rhodes Scholarship.
Contact:
gabrielpilarpala@gmail.com