Having always lived in cities, I have become accustomed to closed environments, thus the presence of closed spaces in my artwork. There are always, however, windows and openings allowing you (and I) to go in and out, to step out into vast and unknown territories.

My native city has specially influenced my sense of color. I inherited a taste for certain colors while growing up in Lima; the clothes of the people, the buses, the facades of the houses and buildings, everything was painted in the most festive way, in contrast with the barren sand dessert that surrounds the city.

The collection of sacred paintings from the School of Cuzco (from the Viceroyalty period)) that decorated the walls of my childhood home also left a strong impact on my sense of color and composition. The pale skin of the half naked saints and martyrs adorned with red bloody wounds contrasted so dramatically against the dark background, they were very theatrical.

Lima is a rather cosmopolitan place, thus I always had access to the rest of the world, even before I left to live abroad.

After more than fifteen years of being a foreigner I have experienced a multiplicity of artistic, cultural, political, spiritual, emotional and psychological exposure, which has further enriched my source of imagery, symbolism and space.

Gervasi's solo exhibitions include One Eleven Gallery, Oakland, CA, La Pena Cultural Center, Berkeley, CA and The Luggage Store Gallery, San Francisco, CA. Group exhibitions include the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art Rental Gallery, San Francisco, CA, Olga Dollar Gallery, San Francisco, CA and ArtLink@Sotherby's.