Richard Alvarez

Richard Alvarez Resume

Richard Alvarez is a New York-based artist who emerged from the vibrant downtown art scene of the 1980s. Born and raised in the Bronx, he began his career as a fashion stylist before dedicating himself to painting. His work often features a self-developed layering technique using glass and glitter, referencing the iconography of the Santería and Catholic religions that were part of his childhood. Alvarez’s art explores the intersection of the human and the divine, blending disparate influences from Renaissance painting, 1980s Manhattan club culture, and Latino kitsch aesthetics. His recent portraits celebrate the luminaries he encountered in the city, particularly figures from the ballroom scene, whom he portrays as modern-day saints.