Southern California-based artist John Sonsini discovered an unexpected resonance with the work of
Francis De Erdely, the subject of Laguna Art Museum’s major exhibition Striking Figures: Francis De Erdely. Like De Erdely, Sonsini is known for his portraits of men, typically people unknown to him, selected based on the personas they convey. Sonsini’s portraits of Los Angeles day laborers showcase the emotional power he can elicit from his choice of models, while De Erdely’s arrival in Southern California also visibly influenced his work.

Laguna Art Museum’s Curatorial Fellow Rochelle Steiner and John Sonsini have selected two of Sonsini’s artworks to present at the museum in a special installation, illustrating some of similarities between his and De Erdely’s approach to portraiture, paint-handling, and subject matter, creating a contemporary response to De Erdely’s approach to Expressionism.