It was unfortunate that I couldn’t but I feel that I had visited that city 11 year ago and was able to see and study a lot of art. Though I could only stay with the program briefly this year, it was a very positive experience.
One of the highlights was a your of the Anthropological Museum with artist, Eduardo Abaroa. Eduardo’s in depth knowledge of Mexican history made the visit to the museum all the more special and inspired me to think about some of the mythology we discussed as fuel for future works.
But the greater moment for me was my presentation and the reaction to the work I brought with me.
When I came to Transart, I did not know where and how I would fit in with the program and with the art world at large. I “just” did portraits in a world that seemed to reject any work that was not political or performative. “Make a video” was the Transart motto if all else failed and I even struggled with that.
By the Winter Residency of last year, however, the program found artist David Antonio Cruz as an adviser for me and that began to turn things around. In one studio visit, David inspired me to explore materials, size, juxtapositions (without ever asking me to stop painting portraits).
Then, in Berlin, Michael Bowdidge’s “Becoming Animal” classes inspired me to reveal a nine-year old self portrait I had done—exchanging my little-boy face with a goat face in order to subvert trauma I had experienced as a child. Additionally, Michael’s class inspire me to act out that trauma with fellow classmate Kate Hilliard that unlocked something I was afriad to look at.
As a result of David opening my mind, and Michael opening up my past, I was able to do work I had never thought capable of and the apex (so far) is the work I brought to Mexico City which are the reworked family photos I have been blogging about for the past few months.
The reaction in Mexico City to the presentation of the work and the work itself was overwhelmingly positive and it felt wonderful that my work was connecting in some subtle, haunting way with an audience of artists and curators. I felt like I had arrived at where I was supposed to with the program.
As we wrap up this final year of the program (with a process paper and a grad dialogue) I am beginning to think of what happens after Transart.
What’s next?
How do I continue?
How do I take what Transart gave me and keep that momentum going?
How do I continue to be, to become an artist?
