Help with old painting? Photograph? Print?

I found this at my local thrift store last week & knew I had to post here to get a better idea what I have.
I thought it was a photograph that had been coated with a shellac to protect it (you can see the creases where it looks like it was rolled up and then something flatten it, leaving creases (which made me think photograph), but i can't get it to show the brush strokes on pants, shirt, etc that you can see with the naked eye)
My friend at the thrift store with me thought it looked like a old print.
But! Taking these photos I found a small are where the art is missing & you can see the canvas behind it - which makes me think it may be an actual painting?
Also it's taped in back so I can't see why, but it's extremely thick , not just a photo, print or a painting?
Can anyone tell me what I have?
PS - first few taken in sunlight & rest inside (by open door to let in some natural light)
Last few show creases.
Thank you!

 

Sorry, here is missing piece that shows canvas behind it.



Image search showed this , which is a painting.

 

Interesting item. No sure at all what to make of it. The frame and backing looks fairly ‘new’/modern. I wouldn’t think it’s a painting or photo. Looks to have been crudely folded at one stage. To me it looks like a print of some kind mounted/pasted/glued on a backing. But in one one the photos there looks be brush strokes? So maybe some protective ‘sealant’ was applied. Best to wait for our the experts.

 

Yes there are brush strokes I can see with my eyes but can't get in photos that I thought might be a shellac to protect it, but would you do that with a print?; I'll try to get a photo of it again tomorrow.
Also, notice how much padding/thickness is under those screws - why so much padding or filler?

 

Do you have a blacklight?

 

Frame is 1970s/1980s-ish. Looks like an artist reworking/recreating old photographs. Certainly looks like the work of Karlos Pérez. You can always ask here:

https://lagaleriacubana.com/artist/686-karlos-perez

Debora

 

looks like someone has tried to stablize the piece by mounting it on canvas.

they have also attempted () to paint over the white of the creases

looking at the other example it might have been intentional by the artist to have an aged effect

but who ever had if afterwards decided not

could very well be from the same artist though

but definitely something funky going on

 

If Pérez' work, the imperfections would be purposeful.

"The artist scratches at the canvas, blots on paint, obstructs and interferes with the visual, reshaping the events that had previously been captured on film. The results are enigmatic paintings that seem to have traveled through time to captivate us in the present."

https://lagaleriacubana.com/artist/686-karlos-perez

Debora

 

Debora, do you think it's worth opening to see if it is a painting?

 

I am with Charlie on this one. Appears to be a print on paper that has been re-worked. The canvas backing could be original (or not), as you sometimes see this on old prints. Either way, paint has been added to make the losses blend in.

 

Apologies. Meant to post this link above and posted a duplicate instead. Here's the artist Karlos Pérez featured in a magazine article. FYI. Re your piece, before you fiddle with it too much, I suggest you contact the gallery that sells his work and see if one of his.

https://marinmagazine.com/travel/local-getaways/the-art-of-cuba/

Debora

 

Thanks, I will do that.

 

Got this today
Guess I'll try their suggestion next.

 

How nice of Marin Magazine to respond. But... think you inadvertently tried the wrong link. Here's that of a gallery specializing in Cuban art and sells the work of Pérez. (If not he, they may be able to direct you on.)

https://lagaleriacubana.com/artist/686-karlos-perez

Debora

 

Thanks Debora