Souvenirs is the title of this collection of artworks by Souther Salazar, but to explain the unusual drawings and paintings one must look to the source of their inspiration – a touring art project by Salazar, his wife and fellow artist Monica Choy, and the population of America.

During their Trading Tortoise adventure, the couple travelled around the US in a quirkily designed bus, stopping off to hold swap meets where the public could bring along their objects or artwork to trade for other objects on the tortoise, sometimes creating something to exchange right there on the bus. It was not about the intrinsic or artistic value of the objects, but the act of sharing.

When they got home, Salazar set about chronicling the trip in a series of work which is now on display at Jonathan LeVine Gallery, New York. Naïve, densely packed and descriptive, Salazar’s pictures do not depict one scene as a snapshot, but as a drawn collage of objects, people, impressions and situations, inspired by but not limited by the reality of the couple’s journey. These are mental souvenirs, experiential postcards sent to himself across time, and they will be on display until 15th June.

Souther Salazar
Telegraph a Little Story of Yourself
mixed media on wood panel
30 x 42 x 2 inches
(30.75 x 42.75 x 2.5 cm)
31 x 61 x 2.5 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Running Wild
watercolor, ink and collage on paper
24 x 18 inches
(60.96 x 45.72 cm)
29 x 23 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Gold Coin Trucking
watercolor, ink and collage on paper
5 x 8 inches
(12.70 x 20.32 cm)
10.5 x 13.625 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Tower Lanes
watercolor, ink and collage on paper
6.5 x 6.5 inches
(16.51 x 16.51 cm)
12 x 12 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Wanderers
mixed media on wood panel
30 x 60 x 2 inches
(76.20 x 152.40 x 5.08 cm)
31 x 61 x 2.5 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Water Tower Collection
found objects, polymer clay, collage, acrylic and ink
21 x 21 x 3.75 inches
(53.34 x 53.34 x 9.53 cm)

Souther Salazar
Orange Show
watercolor, ink and collage on paper
6.5 x 6.5 inches
(16.51 x 16.51 cm)
12 x 12 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Abandoned Gas Station
watercolor, ink and collage on paper
5 x 8 inches
(12.70 x 20.32 cm)
10.5 x 13.625 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Blue Jay Feather
mixed media on hexagon wood panel
28 x 32 x 2 inches
(71.12 x 81.28 x 5.08 cm)

Souther Salazar
Souvenir Collector
mixed media on wood panel
30 x 60 x 2 inches
(76.20 x 152.40 x 5.08 cm)
31 x 61 x 2.5 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Hilarious Attic
watercolor, ink and collage on paper
6.5 x 6.5 inches
(16.51 x 16.51 cm)
12 x 12 inches, framed

Souther Salazar
Grandma’s Elephant
mixed media on hexagon wood panel
28 x 32 x 2 inches
(71.12 x 81.28 x 5.08 cm)

Souther Salazar
Five Dollar Balloons at the Truck Stop
watercolor, ink and collage on paper
5 x 8 inches
(12.70 x 20.32 cm)
10.5 x 13.625 inches, framed