José Ramón Lerma (1930-)

Jose Ramon Lerma (American, b. 1930), “The Hook,” 1992, mixed media and found objects on board, signed, titled, and dated verso, overall (unframed/mounted): 37”h x 28”w.

José Ramón Lerma (1930-)
Title:”Sacred Heart”
30.50″ x 21.75″ x 1.75″
(77.47cm x 55.25cm x 4.45cm)
Assemblage
Signed and Dated 1991
Farhat Art Museum Collection

Artist: Jose Lerma
Title: “Comrade,” 2007
Mixed Media
Created: 2007 Signed and Dated
Size: 25.50” x 16.25” (64.77cm x 41.28cm)
Farhat Art Museum Collection.

José Ramón Lerma (1930-)
Title: The Weight of the World
Mixed Media
Created: 1988 Signed and Titled
Size: 16” x 12.50” (40.64cm x 31.75cm)
Farhat Art Museum Collection

Jose Ramon Lerma (1930 – ) American Titled: “The NAFTA Trap, Dated ” 1995, mixed media wall relief Signed and titled verso, Measures: 12.5″h x 10.5″w x 1.25″d Farhat Art Museum Collection

Lerma (1930 – ) American Titled: “Corazon De Noche” Dated “ 1995, mixed media Signed and titled verso, “Corazon De Noche” Measures: 32×25 inches Farhat Art Museum Collection

Artist: Jose Ramon Lerma (1930 – ) American Titled: El Cristo De La Pina Dated “ 1992, mixed media wall relief Signed and titled verso, Measures: 25×15 inches Farhat Art Museum Collection

Jose Ramon Lerma (1930 – ) American Titled:( The Virgin of Vietnam ) Dated “ 1968-1975-1993, mixed media wall relief Signed and titled verso, Vietnam War Peace Treaty ( The Virgin of Vietnam ) Measures: 26.5×20 inches Farhat Art Museum Collection

Jose Ramon Lerma (1930 – ) American Titled: Chiquita Banana Dated “ 1985, mixed media wall relief Signed and titled verso, San Francisco Measures: 28×24 inches Farhat Art Museum Collection

Jose Ramon Lerma (American, b. 1930) “Pader,” 1980, oil on canvas signed, titled and dated lower verso canvas (unframed): 40’h x 30”w

Jose Ramon Lerma (1930 – ) American
Titled: FUCK 12
Dated ” 1995, mixed media
Signed and titled verso,
Measures: 34 x15 inches
Farhat Art Museum Collection

Born in 1930 in the Salinas Valley, Lerma came to San Francisco in 1950 and was one of the first Latino students to study at the California School of Fine Arts, now SFAI. Lerma was soon drafted into the Intelligence Division of the U.S. Army at the start of the Korean War. He was stationed close to the front and his experiences there transformed him as a person and as an artist.

He returned to San Francisco and the San Francisco Art Institute to resume his studies in the mid 50’s studying under Jean Varda, Nathan Oliviera and Edward Corbett. Lerma immersed himself in the San Francisco that was the home of Beat Culture and an important center for Abstract Expressionism. Lerma’s peers include Wallace Berman, George Herms, Roy De Forest, Bruce Conner, Manuel Neri, William T. Wiley, Luis Cervantes and Jay DeFeo.

He was integral to the burgeoning gallery scene in San Francisco in the early 60’s having solo exhibitions at seminal gallery spaces the East-West Gallery, The Cellar, Spatsa Gallery, Russian Hill Gallery and most recently a major retrospective of his paintings, collages and constructions from 1954-2000 was held at Intersection for the Arts. Lerma has also participated in numerous group exhibitions including the Oakland Museum, The San Francisco Museum of Art, The Sonoma County Museum, ArtZone 461 Gallery, Galeria de la Raza, Gallery Sanchez, Somar Gallery, Mission Cultural Center, Richmond Art Center, La Raza Graphics Center, and the Walter and McBean Galleries at SFAI. His work has also been exhibited nationally including the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art, Museum of Albuquerque, Los Angeles Municipal Art Gallery, Evergreen State College, and Tuscon Museum of the Arts.

Lerma lives and works in Oakland, California

Submitted by John C. Morris,