Leonard Fresquez (1981-2022) was an American multi-media artist working in the mediums of photography, painting, sculpture and installation. His curatorial projects explored cult commodities and underground economies, bringing together artists of nontraditional backgrounds. He was also the co-producer of Trapset Zines and produced publications and multiples for artists such as Mark Beyer, Ken Kagami, Cole Prentice and Shay Semple. His sculpture, which merged interests in furniture design and bootlegger culture, has been exhibited throughout New Mexico and California. Inspired by the outrageous reality of everyday street life, his photography bridges documentary and creative interpretation; it has been published by Hamburger Eyes, Freedom Press, and Dee Dee Gordon, among others. He lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico until his untimely death at the age of 41.
EDUCATION
2003-2004 Pasadena Art Center College of Design, Pasadena, CA
1999-2002 Technical Vocational Institute, Albuquerque, NM
SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2016 American Irrationalism, Relic, Albuquerque, NM
2015 Stray Rays, Small Engine Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2008 Don Leon’s Westside Show, Unitard Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2007 Record Of Clarity, Unitard Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005 Downtown Sumo Drag, Ace, Albuquerque, NM
2004 You’re in Rome, Trapo, Los Angeles, CA
SELECT GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2020 Diamond Grade, Etiquette, Santa Fe, NM
2018 The New Bootleggers: Fabricating (Im)propriety @ Currency, What do you value? 516Arts, Albuquerque, NM
2015 Group Photography Exhibition, Downtown Contemporary Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2013 Krakatoa Presents SD KillWave Band Prayers, Krakatoa, San Diego, CA
2008 Homebums and Garbage – Thomas Haag and Leonard Fresquez, Stove Gallery, Albuquerque CA
2007 Stove Gallery, Albuquerque, NM
2006 Tree House Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2005 Sugar, Silverlake Junction, Los Angeles, CA
2004 Jointz Magazine 5th Anniversary Group Exhibition, The Derby Club, Los Angeles, CA
PUBLICATIONS
2016 American Irrationalism, Leonard Fresquez, 7X7 perfect-bound paperback, published by Dizziness of Freedom Press
2016 Day Sleepers, Leonard Fresquez, published by Trapset Zines
2016 Magic Mountain Birth Control, Max W. Farber, Leonard Fresquez, published by Trapset Zines
2016 The Shell of the Nut, Zachary D. Wilkins, Leonard Fresquez, published by Ocular De(press)ion
2015 Human Leather Vol. 1, Leonard Fresquez, published by Ocular De(press)ion
2015 Sines (A series of Public Misspellings) Vol. 1, Leonard Fresquez, published by Ocular De(press)ion
2014 Bangers and Scratchers Vol. 1, Leonard Fresquez, published by Ocular De(press)ion
2013 Celly Brain: Vol. 13, published by Hamburger eyes
2006 Look-Look Magazine: Issue 6, published by Dee Dee Gordon
PRESS
2022 Feature in Southwest Contemporary, Maggie Grimason, July 20
2019 Review in Fabrik Magazine, by Wesley Pulkka, February 11
2019 Interview on Knowing by Making, week 6
2018 Review in Albuquerque Journal by Kathaleen Roberts, November 11
2018 Feature in New Mexico Magazine by Alicia Inez Guzman
2016 Review in Broken Pencils Magazine by Joel W. Vaughn
2014 Book review in Juxtapoz Magazine CELLYBRAIN VOL. 13 BY HAMBURGER EYES