Leo Esquivel: Spirit in the Fire

Leo Esquivel: Spirit in the Fire

September 4th – October 13th

Leo Esquivel’s Spirit in the Fire exhibition showcases his latest explorations in sculpture, digital art, and Mardi Gras ephemera, inviting viewers into a vibrant world of cultural symbolism and material experimentation. Esquivel’s works push the boundaries of common construction materials, transforming these common materials into dreamlike, fantastical entities that blur the line between the natural and the imagined.

The exhibition also celebrates Esquivel’s deep connection to Kansas City’s Mardi Gras traditions, featuring an array of Krewe artifacts. Along with these physical works are a series of digitally rendered characters—born from his mask-making practice.

Leo Esquivel was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He earned his BFA in Printmaking from the Kansas City Art Institute in 1995 and was a co-curator of the Dirt Gallery in the late 1990s. In 2003, he received the prestigious Charlotte Street Foundation Award. For the past two decades, Esquivel has built a career as a professional decorative painter based in Kansas City, all the while continuing to expand his artistic vision.