Curatorial Rationale

Full Presentation

 

Since I began this process and went through the two DP years, I explored protest art. I wanted to use my art as a way to represent Venezuela to everyone that I presented my art to. In essence, a depiction of my relationship with Venezuela  Venezuela has been going through a political situation and there are many issues which is shown in my art that I like to portray in my work. Inspired by artists who believe that art has a purpose. Like Käthe Kollwitz used to say her art was to voice the pain of her people. “It is my duty to voice the suffering of men…” Her work has been strongly inspirational to me; the way she uses space and how black and white has such a strong impact in the message that is being portrayed. her ideas were of inspiration to me as well, as she voiced suffering for a war, I used her work as inspiration as seen in Exodus inspired by The March. I tried different techniques when developing my work, the media in which the art is presented can influence different ideas and emotions given through the piece. For example, when I used Hockney as inspiration where he says a landscape never gets boring. “it’s not the landscape that is boring but the depiction of it that becomes boring” which is why I was inspired to create a piece to depict the beauty of the country, a piece very vibrant and colorful. I used different artists to guide me to explore the ideas I was trying to convey and the purpose of the work they created as a base of inspiration, the techniques I used are meant to give stronger significance to the work, for example, Stamping for Freedom, based on the Russian constructivism or propaganda, which they used in order to go against the norms of society, fitting for a piece focused on the opposition to the government.

Exhibition Pieces

From Afar 

oil on canvas  | 37 x 30”

 

This piece was what guided the rest of my theme, guiding me towards expressing my distance from my country, what we see and the unclarity of it while we are away. The melancholy that we feel for our homes when we leave them.


Stamping for Freedom

ink, Lino printing on paper | 14 x 14”

The piece represents a moment which brought hope to Venezuelans’, April 30th which was the day part of the military joined the opposition against the government. The piece is inspired by Russian constructivism by the style of it and the purpose to create a difference.


 

Unknown Soldier 

oil on canvas  | 37 x 30”

This piece is a gas mask, someone standing and fighting for their country because of their situation. In its eyes the city of Doha, where I live now. Where the soldier represents a part of every Venezuelan who had to leave the country and wants to fight for it.

 

Reminisce

oil on canvas | 20 x 25”

My childhood, my cousin and I in Venezuela, the beginning of my journey and experiences that show my relationship with my country. 


 

Camino Viejo

Gouache on Paper | 16 x 8.5”

Showing the beauty of Venezuela was also key to my work. It was inspired by the way David Hockney presents his work, his colorful pieces with details and vibrant colors.

Hockney, The Garden (year)


 

Extranjero

 plaster, oil paint

The piece intends to portray the impact that is has on myself and others, leaving my home, taking part of who I am. The sculpture is inspired by the famous artist Bruno Catalano who shows the same idea with pieces he has all over the world with travelling men and missing sections. 

Dreadful News

charcoal, ink, paper on canvas | 37 x 30”

This picture depicts the situation in Venezuela, showing the  current news at the time it was created  and issues that affect us and on it a portrait of me, my cousin and Nicolas Maduro, the president of Venezuela. Showing what he’s done. The girl in the middle doesn’t smile showing the suffering that comes with being there. Inspired by Käthe Kollwitz and her anti-war posters as well as her use of charcoals The Survivors (1923)


Exodus

Pencil on paper | 15 x 26”

The piece represents millions that have had to leave the country because of the political situation of the country. The piece is inspired by Käthe Kollwitz, The March (1897)