Visual Testimonies of Memory, Resistance, and Truth

Artist Statement – Gonz Jove

Murals, paintings, and sculptures are not merely artistic expressions—they are vessels of memory, resistance, and truth. Each work I create is a living narrative, crafted to carry the weight of history, the emotion of lived experience, and the enduring power of cultural survival. These pieces are not passive—they are visual testimonies, silent but unignorable. They call viewers to witness, to remember, and to engage.

My practice begins with immersion. Before brush touches wall or chisel meets material, I enter the story—through research, community dialogue, walking neighborhoods, and asking the questions that matter: What heals? What must be remembered? What truths remain unspoken?

This depth of engagement becomes the soul of the work. Without it, the artwork would lack resonance. With it, the piece breathes with meaning.

In murals, I stretch narrative across space, inviting public reflection. In paintings, I render layers of intimate truths. Through sculpture, I ground memory in form and weight. Each medium offers a different rhythm—but they all serve the same purpose: to honor histories that too often go unseen, and to invite connection across time, culture, and spirit.

Guided by a foundation in sculpting and mathematics, my compositions often feature multidimensional structures—multiple focal points, layered illusions, and geometries that reflect the complexity of human experience. I work with aged, high-quality paints, some decades old, whose richness and depth echo the enduring stories they help tell.

Cosmic and philosophical imagery—stars, galaxies, elemental forces—appear often in my work. These motifs speak to a worldview shaped by Indigenous and global philosophies: that we are all connected, that the universe lives within us, and that love is a powerful force of transformation. Illusion, distortion, and spatial play invite viewers to step beyond linear thinking and into deeper contemplation.

Ultimately, my work is about connection. About remembering the past, honoring the present, and imagining a more just, humane future. Each piece is an offering—a space for mourning, for healing, for wonder, and for resistance.

To create is to testify. I don’t just make murals, paintings, or sculptures. I build bridges. I give shape to memory. I render love as vision.