Creando Arco Iris: A Guide to a Young Me
Opening Reception:
June 9th 5pm-9pm
Artist Talk @ 8:00 pm
Growing up queer and feminine lead itself to criticism, bullying and even sexual abuse. I overcame these traumatic experiences by using my expansive imagination through Art, which facilitated a safe space from reclusion and for healing. Art allowed me to take imaginary flight and create dreamscapes with characters that became my guardians and friends. "La Mariposa" became one of those guardians. In the work, the butterfly is reclaimed from a derogatory referent to queer folxs to one of empowerment. The butterfly also acts as a symbol of transformative energy which allowed me to escape my reality and fly over those dreamscapes. As a child, Art became a language that was used to represent emotional distress as well as aims of aspirations for a better future-self. "Creando Arco Iris - A Guide to a Young Me" becomes an affirmation to a young me, that queerness is beautiful and that I am resilient.
As an adult, I reflect on those experiences to talk about the intersections of identity, sexuality, culture and hxstory. When I create my work, the building blocks allow me to deconstruct systems that hindered my freedom of expression as a queer child. My work leaves layers of the process of building the images visible, exposing the struggles and adjustments made to them to get to the point of harmony. I believe in the healing power of art, and hope that my art is able to help others as I heal myself.
Opening Reception:
June 9th 5pm-9pm
Artist Talk @ 8:00 pm
Growing up queer and feminine lead itself to criticism, bullying and even sexual abuse. I overcame these traumatic experiences by using my expansive imagination through Art, which facilitated a safe space from reclusion and for healing. Art allowed me to take imaginary flight and create dreamscapes with characters that became my guardians and friends. "La Mariposa" became one of those guardians. In the work, the butterfly is reclaimed from a derogatory referent to queer folxs to one of empowerment. The butterfly also acts as a symbol of transformative energy which allowed me to escape my reality and fly over those dreamscapes. As a child, Art became a language that was used to represent emotional distress as well as aims of aspirations for a better future-self. "Creando Arco Iris - A Guide to a Young Me" becomes an affirmation to a young me, that queerness is beautiful and that I am resilient.
As an adult, I reflect on those experiences to talk about the intersections of identity, sexuality, culture and hxstory. When I create my work, the building blocks allow me to deconstruct systems that hindered my freedom of expression as a queer child. My work leaves layers of the process of building the images visible, exposing the struggles and adjustments made to them to get to the point of harmony. I believe in the healing power of art, and hope that my art is able to help others as I heal myself.
Crecer Joto y femenino llamo a la crítica, el acoso e incluso el abuso sexual. Yo superé estas experiencias traumáticas utilizando mi imaginación expansiva a través del arte, que facilitó un espacio seguro de la reclusión y para sanar. El arte me permitió tomar vuelo imaginario y crear sueños con personajes que se convirtieron en mis guardianes y amigos. "La Mariposa" se convirtió en uno de esos guardianes. En mi arte, la mariposa se recupera de un referente negativo asea las comunidades LGBTQ a uno de empoderamiento. La mariposa también actúa como un símbolo de energía transformadora que me permitió escapar de mi realidad y volar sobre esos sueños. De niño, el arte se convirtió en un lenguaje que se utilizó para representar la angustia emocional, así como objetivos de aspiraciones para un futuro –yo, mejor. "Creando Arco Iris - Una guía para un joven- yo" se convierte en una afirmación para un joven yo, que identificar como Joto es hermoso y que soy resistente.
Como adulto, reflexiono sobre esas experiencias para hablar de las intersecciones de identidad, sexualidad, cultura y historia. Cuando creo mi trabajo los bloques de construcción me permiten de construir sistemas que obstaculizaron mi libertad de expresión como un niño Joto-femenino. Mi trabajo deja las capas del proceso de construcción de las imágenes visibles, exponiendo las luchas y los ajustes hechos a ellos para llegar al punto de armonía. Creo en el poder sanador del arte, y espero que mi arte pueda ayudar a otros mientras me cura a mí mismo.
Como adulto, reflexiono sobre esas experiencias para hablar de las intersecciones de identidad, sexualidad, cultura y historia. Cuando creo mi trabajo los bloques de construcción me permiten de construir sistemas que obstaculizaron mi libertad de expresión como un niño Joto-femenino. Mi trabajo deja las capas del proceso de construcción de las imágenes visibles, exponiendo las luchas y los ajustes hechos a ellos para llegar al punto de armonía. Creo en el poder sanador del arte, y espero que mi arte pueda ayudar a otros mientras me cura a mí mismo.
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About the Artist, Abel Rodriguez
IG: Abel_rdgz Website: Abelrodriguez.weebly.com Abel Rodriguez is a Queer Xicano artist who was born in Fairfield, CA in 1979. He received a MFA degree in Painting from Yale School of Art in 2010, and a BFA in Drawing and Painting and Graphic Design from California State University, Long Beach in 2007. He was selected to participate in the Artist in Residence Program at Recology, S.F. in 2011. He has exhibited nationwide and currently works and resides in Vallejo, CA. |