Lusmerlin

Statement:

I exist in the world of rawness and immediacy. It’s how I explore the psychological shift of immigration. Before leaving my country, I never truly looked at figures or bodies; but I was forced to see myself different: I’m an "alien“. Dance painting is how I claim my space and my own narrative. I learned to dance with my grandfather, it was at the core of our family identity. I want to show the trail we leave behind by stamping that to the canvas, designing my own foot brushes, facing the challenge of grace, balance, and impromptu visual composition.

Bio:

Originally from the Dominican Republic, Lusmerlin is an interdisciplinary artist and chemical engineer. These varied disciplines transfer their characteristics to her visual work: technical curiosity, dynamic visuals, and abstraction. She currently resides in Maryland, United States, and exhibits her work regionally.

Lusmerlin has developed two main series of work, one with her hands and one with her feet. "White lines/black lines" is a bold pastel series around quotidian scenes. It delves into self-portraiture, with posing and dancing, which became an unconscious preparation for the "Dance Painting" Series. The latter is an exploration of her relationship with her body through the immigration process: the figure, bodily motion, and painting with her feet. 

Commissioned work includes book covers, private and public murals. Lusmerlin' s community involvement includes pro-bono art classes for minority children and motivational talks at community colleges and non-profit events. During her tenure at the Dominican Republic Ministry of Culture, Lusmerlin managed arts and culture events for the largest literary fair in the Dominican Republic and produced a radio show about literary arts.