Moncho 1929 - Masks

Moncho 1929 Masks

Moncho 1929 Masks

The new series of paintings Moncho created for Masks embodies a spirit of recontextualization, expanding ideas and building on elements present in his previous paintings, murals, and other forms of street art, compositions he has described as “opposing visual images that can create a new conversation.”

Masks take on different meanings relative to geography, context, and culture. Moncho doesn’t directly reference specific masks or their functions; instead, he encourages viewers to confront their own judgments as they attempt to classify the subjects in his paintings.

“ I purposely try not to be overtly political in the work that I do. There’s always references, but I’d rather insinuate, be subtle, so that when the person is looking at the work, they’re having that discovery, they’re having that conversation. At the end of the day, the work needs to connect with the viewer.”

- Moncho

Moncho’s paintings are not only personal, but also provocative. Previously the human subjects would often have no face at all, but his new works feature rendered facial coverings that conceal or transform identity.

Masks by Moncho 1929 at solo.

On view from February 25 until April 12, 2026

unos titeres, 2026

in the schoolyard, 2026

a day trip to bayamon, 2026

a portrait of when, 2026

bus stop, 2026

family reunion, 2026

some things some place, 2026

goliath, 2026

By Nancy Zastudil

To say that painting is personal is a deceptively simple statement, and perhaps a blatantly obvious one. But as artmaking and other forms of cultural production become increasingly automated and removed from the artist’s hand, the value of creative expression is at risk of being eliminated altogether. To paint—to create—is to defy the odds of erasure. Moncho 1929 (Moncho for short, otherwise known as Dan Monteavaro; b. 1975, Puerto Rico) does not shy away from the personal nature of his paintings. The alias under which he creates his art is a tribute to his grandfather, combining his nickname and birth year. When Moncho and I spoke in the fall of 2025, he recounted a time during childhood when he was embarrassed because his grandfather had shown up to an art event in his work clothes—a T-shirt and shorts—while the other children’s family members were dressed in more formal attire.1 Today, the artist has recontextualized that painful memory as an important life lesson, centering the values he was raised with: Don’t treat people based on the status of what they’ve accomplished or what’s on their back.

The new series of paintings Moncho created for Masks, his 2026 exhibition at solo, embodies that same spirit of recontextualization, expanding ideas and

building on elements present in his previous paintings, murals, and other forms of street art, compositions he has described as “opposing visual images that can create a new conversation.” 2 In Masks, the half-human, half-animal figures depicted in his Passing and Chimera series are gone, but the subjects continue to exist in a kind of suspended animation . . . with one additional element that is—dare I use the word again—obvious. Masks take on different meanings relative to geography, context, and culture. Moncho doesn’t directly reference specific masks or their functions; instead, he encourages viewers to confront their own judgments as they attempt to classify the subjects in his paintings.3 He says, “I purposely try not to be overtly political in the work that I do. There are always references, but I’d rather insinuate, be subtle, so that when the person is looking at the work, they’re having that discovery, they’re having that conversation. At the end of the day, the work needs to connect with the viewer.”

And so, Moncho’s paintings are not only personal, but also provocative. Previously the human subjects would often have no face at all, but his new works feature rendered facial coverings that conceal or transform identity. The youngster in olori in the schoolyard (all works 2026) wears a shawl swept across their shoulders, their torso in a gentle twist. A golden-hued mask, reminiscent of a drama

1 Unless otherwise noted, direct quotes and references to such are from the author’s conversation with the artist, November 17, 2025.

2 Morgan Laurens, “Q+Art: Dan Monteavaro Conjures Magic and Mythology with Wildly Imaginative Paintings,” April 5, 2021, NOT REAL ART, notrealart.com/dan-monteavaro-conjures-magic-mythology.

3 Jorge Perezchica, “Conversations in Juxtaposition, Duality and Surrealism,” Coachella Magazine, June 18, 2023, coachellamagazine.com/moncho-1929.

mask, hovers in front of the face and is itself obscured by a vibrant pinkish-red flowering vine. The scene, set against a royal blue background, is encircled by a bright yellow square populated with green flowers, all of which are framed by a fluorescent orange border. The combination of geometric and organic elements creates tension between feeling embraced and entrapped.

Similar frames and flowers appear in other works too, such as goliath and senora sola. In goliath, an upright masculine figure seems to float and sway, marionette-like, enveloped in a dark magenta floral background. A portion of a blue collar sits in contrast to a more prominent pink pleated bodice, paired with work pants and boots. A tall tribal-like mask stares out at the viewer. Senora sola’s feminine subject slouches in a chair, hands in the pockets of a vaguely Victorian red jacket, with head and shoulders balancing a broad sculptural adornment. Here, the face is not what one might recognize as a mask, but the expression is equally impenetrable. Arched eyebrows, heavy eyelids, and a sideways gaze prevent direct eye contact, a coordinated effort that acts as its own form of disguise. In bus stop, a pair of masculine figures sit casually on a bench, seemingly in their own respective worlds, masquerading as a deer or elk, bear or tiger.

In each painting, Moncho strikes a balance between dynamic expression and strict technical skill, a handling that allows his works to breathe and layered stories to emerge. His images feel reciprocal, relational—an energy that is rooted in the graffiti and street art scene of New York City in the 1970s and ʼ80s, which Moncho experienced during his formative years. Street art became a powerful gateway to the life he envisioned for himself as an artist. He tells me, “When I used to walk around Canal Street with my mom, I would see galleries and it was always like, ‘That’s not for us.’ So, making street art was me wanting art to be accessible for people who didn’t feel like they could be in a gallery, who didn’t feel like they belong in that space, because galleries are a little bit exclusionary. And I remember telling her, ‘One day I’m going to be in one of those and belong there.’”

Moncho has indeed bridged that distance. Today, he lives and works in Los Angeles, where he is raising a family of his own. He has shown in galleries throughout the world, been commissioned by major companies, and has artworks in both private and public collections. Masks seems to mirror his journey, reflecting the fragmented aspects of being human, the different parts of the self revealed to the world.

All works © copyright Moncho 1929 (Dan Monteavaro). All rights reserved.

an art gallery by studio mousetrap is located at 366 W 7th Street, San Pedro, California 90731.

Published in February 2026 by Studio Mousetrap, LLC.