Rhinoceros: Small Works - Portrait/Propaganda

Portrait " Con el Orgullo Indio en el Alma Tatuado"

Propaganda " La Matanza al Indigena"

For this small works I decided to go back to my roots. 

For the portrait section I portray an enlighten mestiza girl, this was inspired because every time I have to put my race in a paper work I get a little upset. I am not either white or black but I do not have other choice. I have a beautiful mixture of Indigenous and European mostly Spaniard  thanks to Christopher Columbus and the discovery of America. I have to admit that when I was a girl I hated that mixture but as I grow old I cannot be more proud of my roots and my Andean heritage. I am a Proudly Mestiza "Con el Orgullo Indio en el Alma Tatuado" !!!

The process of the portrait: part 1

The process of the portrait: part 2

The process of the portrait: part 3

 The propaganda section gave me a little more of trouble, I had a bunch of ideas but I was not sure of how to execute them. At the beginning I thought of making propaganda about women issues but honestly it was a subject too broad. My second thought was to make a statement on how oil companies destroy amazon environment, destroying not only nature but putting in risk ancient tribes survival. Finally, I decided to go back to the start of tribal endanger, Christopher Columbus with the conquers of america killed, steal and force ancient tribes to change their way of living. "La matanza al indigena" is not only physical and the saddest part is that in the 21st century still happens. 

The process of propaganda: part 1

The process of propaganda: part 2

The process of propaganda: part 3

For both pieces I used mixed media and experiment with wet and dry drawing supplies.

Rhinoceros: In Depth Project - Metamorphosis ( Feather and Rose)

This is my idea for the Metamorphosis Project ...I am inclining with the idea of transforming the feather and the rose into to a jewelry set ( necklace, bracelet, ring and earrings). I did my 13 days plan with that transformation in mind!

Feather and Rose : Modes of Engagement

Feather and Rose: Vision & Plan of Action

Feather and Rose: Plan of Action

Rhinoceros: Outside Visit- A Universe of Fragile Mirrors by Beatriz Santiago Munoz at PAMM

Selfie at Beatriz Santiago Munoz Exhibit

I found really interesting how Beatriz Santiago Munoz portraits the politics, identity and environment of the Caribbean through powerful videos. The viewer gets an insider feeling with the imagery of her films. I wanted to explore those Haiti streets, the rituals from the girl, the ocean landscapes and the forest. Also, I love "Malascopios"and how the triangular mirrors make patterns on the walls.

"Malascopios", 2014

Some over- expose images make the videos more visually appealing. As well as the vinyl player with the nature sounds, transporting the viewer to the jungle/forest location.

"Otros Usos" 2014
Favorite video collection = Visually Appealing

This exhibition is visually attractive, the space between the videos is divided enough for the viewer to understand that each video is a separate piece, a separate story.

I enjoy "Otros Usos" video compilation because I transport myself  inside of the images and it really inspire me to explore different visual approaches to make my work successful. 

Clip from "Otros Usos"

I have to say that "La cabeza mato a todos" was very  intriguing; I felt engage watching the movement of the girl on the screen, putting me into a trance. 

"La Cabeza Mato a Todos" 2014

In the theater box was  difficult to identify which film I was watching, but the two I experience were captivating in different ways. The first one was an intimate conversation while the second one was a visual description of the city. 

Theater Box 

The images from A Universe of Fragile Mirrors  gave me ideas and suggestions in the ways I might want to approach my upcoming visual projects. 

Rhinoceros: Reading - Enter the Dragon; On the Vernacular of Beauty by Dave Hickney

Beauty is something so debatable, what is beauty for you can be disgusting for me or vice-versa. We always linked beauty with good but that is  not necessary truthful. Sometimes a piece of art gets attention because the artist is popular but that not means that the artwork is special at all. Other times the artist has the right connections to make his/her exhibition possible but might not be talented at all. While in some cases extravagant art pieces are not acknowledge because they are too polemic for the typical audience. An artwork can be horrible but if it makes the viewer think or cause awareness about something specific, the art piece complete its duty. 

I attend a world press photo winners exhibition in Quito and some of the photos were really impacting for its cruelness. The stories associated with these photos were so powerful that I believe that was one of the reasons that make me want to pursuit a documentary photographer career. Good art have to send a message, it does not matter if is beautiful or not. It is hard to break the rules but sometimes the artist have to stand up, separate from the system and create a new movement in order to have a space to present their art and ideas. The old art market might be settle to an antique point of view, leaving new galleries or art institutions as the only valid opportunity for emerging artists to present their work. 

Rhinoceros: Small Works - Creature/Other

Other # 1

Creature #1

For this small works project I decided to experiment with water color pencils. I wanted to used a new material  and I have to admit that I really have fun working on these mini artworks. 

First Sketch of Creature/ Other

Sketch of creature 1 on Cardboard

Water Color Pencil Process

It was a challenge to pick one option for creature and one option for other.

I went for the creature 1 because the description was easy to understand. At the beginning I though the creature was a doggy but that idea was demolish with the line explaining the pink hair on the head of this creature. Then I consider a pig but the size did not fit either until I realize the creature was a hippo. 

In the other section the decision was faster because for one of the options I did not have a clue at all. I went for the other 1 because I understand the terms from the description .  

For both art pieces I used the same materials: cardboard, water color pencils, fine markers and tissue paper. 

The creative and making process was the same for both pieces. To give them a special twist I decided to add a paper frame to each piece. 

Rhinoceros: Reading - A People's Art History of the United States by Nicolas Lampert

Photographing the Past During the Present !

As an aspiring photographer I totally understand the idea of me in charge of the image, manipulating what I want people to see. It remind me the wisdom words of my color photography professor Richard LaBarbera "LaBarbi" he was always suggesting that if you need to stage your frame in order to achieve success you should definitely do it. Photographers  document their world thru their photos, is a way to unconscious state your opinion.

During 1890 and 1930 Native Americans were in the middle of this transition, putting them in a vanishing situation. What if they disappear and we do not have records of this civilization? In the other side Native American subject matter was valuable enough to make this documentation expensive  for only a privilege group of bankers and prominent people to have access to it. Even if most of Curtis photographs were stage I do not think we should dismiss his work; he was trying to reconstruct traditions and a lifestyle that modernity and colonialism sadly destroy. 

Curtis had to respect tribal beliefs such as a camera being consider a "shadow catcher", making his photography duties difficult. A photographer has to know its boundaries, you do not want to ruin the experience for the community or denote negative ideas for the art itself. If you are an insider like Richard Throssel you might have a better opportunity of success since your community will support you and your art. 

Photography is a powerful tool to aware, to teach; and eye opener or a type of activism. I do not agree with Throssel changing his images into "Curtis Mold" in order to sell his work; he wanted fame but his realistic images were more valuable than no one else because he was allowed to be present and capture the life, precious moments in the Crow tribe. Curtis and Throssel used different methods to portrait Native Americans, both tried to document a community of vanishing people and culture to leave a legacy in the United States art history. 

This reading make me explore Curtis and Throssel photography. Now I a curious about the whole content of  Lampert book. Also, gave me an idea of how personally I want to approach my Andean culture and my Mestiza heritage in my artistic vision. 

"Pretty Bird" Richard Throssel

"Dakota Sioux" Edward S. Curtis

Rhinoceros: Reading - The Rhinoceros from Durer to Stubbs (1515- 1799) by T.H. Clarke

It is incredible to realize how history is a cycle. The only difference is that today we have it easy; discovering and exploring of new things or creatures is on our hands thanks to technology and Internet. I can imagine the citizens of Lisbon waiting at the port on May 1515; their faces and amusement when they saw the rhino, a creature they could never thought exists. Also, is sad to realize the we "humans", we are idiots since day one. How someone thought re-gifting the rhino was a clever idea? The rhino was exposed to enough stress on the first trip to Lisbon to be transported to Marseilles and then to Rome, of course it was animal cruelty but no one will stand for him/ her when curiosity and the gaining of the Portugal empire was on the line. The only comfort and tribute for "Ganda" was Durer woodcut  and the early sculpture by the Tagus tower. 

Even though Durer rhino was mostly from imagination, it gives the viewer the idea of this massive animal. Durer work from letters and sketches that came thru people who had the opportunity to see the rhino live. Sadly getting references from others usually leads to misinterpretation. The rhino was always perceived as a beast. Also, it is interesting how Durer woodcut piece inspired others to create their own or "improved" versions of this animal. As well as how other artist took the rhino woodcut as a initiative to transform this pieces using different mediums and approaching the animal with other interpretations.