By Xavier Viramontes

Medium: Etching and aquatint
Edition of 30
Image Size: 24 x 12 inches

The Letter by Xavier Viramontes is an intimate, multilayered portrait of a young artist’s inner world, composed through the objects and images gathered on his workspace. A handwritten letter lies open across a drafting table, surrounded by sketches, pencils, and personal mementos. Above the desk, a bulletin board displays iconic cultural references—Frida Kahlo, a lowrider car, a bodybuilder’s pose, Renaissance imagery—each suggesting influences, aspirations, and fragments of identity.

Part of a series loosely inspired by the correspondence of a young gay Latino navigating art, culture, and self-discovery, the print weaves together autobiography and symbolism. Viramontes’ richly detailed style and vivid color palette invite the viewer into a private moment where creativity, longing, and lived experience intersect.