Jose Parla
By Rey Parlá

The colourful monumental paintings of the Cuban-American contemporary artistJosé Parlá: Marking the Way Home is an expansive monograph celebrating the remarkable four-decade career of Cuban American artist José Parlá. This first midcareer publication coincides with major milestones, including solo exhibitions in Miami and Tokyo—"Homecoming" at the Pérez Art Museum Miami and "Home Away from Home" at the Pola Museum in Tokyo. The volume traces Parlá’s evolution from his early days of wall markings in Miami to his international acclaim, showcasing his innovative blend of gestural abstraction, calligraphy, and urban textures that have redefined contemporary painting.Spanning from 1985 to 2025, the richly illustrated book features paintings, murals, rare sketchbooks, and archival materials. It also includes essays by curators JonathanRider and Iván de la Nuez, alongside an intimate interview with Rey Parlá, his brother and creative collaborator. Central to the narrative is Parlá’s profound reflection on his near-death experience with COVID-19, which deepens his exploration of home as a mosaic of memories and displacement.Celebrating his role as a cultural bridge, the monograph underscores his connections to a global community of friendships, travels, and collaborations. Parlá emerges as a poetic chronicler of surfaces, textures, and resilience—an artist whose work captures the luminous paths of exploration and belonging.