Decolonize Indigenize and Embellished Creature

LOCATION: Visions West Contemporary - 2605 Walnut St

CATEGORY: Art Events

PAST DATE AND TIME:

• Thu, Nov 9, 2023 - Fri, Dec 22, 2023  

Opening Celebration: Thursday, November 9th, 6:00 - 8:00 pm

Narrative and storytelling lay the basic foundation for both artists who tie their work to personal histories and innate mythologies.

Julie Buffalohead, like the Trickster of Native stories, embodies duality in a variety of both elementary and complex ways. While the Trickster's nature is creator/destroyer, Buffalohead explores the polarization of politics/culture through the myths of Coyote, Rabbit, and Skunk. A citizen of the Ponca tribe of the Plains, and being of biracial lineage, she pulls from elements of current events and the timeless stories of her ancestors, resulting in extraordinary insights on contemporary society.

Many of her images reference Native stories, but they also reference fairy tales and children's books. The simplistic drawings of animals speak to a lost innocence, a reaching back in time with the knowledge of the present.

Through the use of print, paint, and collage her work layers playfulness with biting commentary. By contrasting seemingly disparate images, Buffalohead not only creates tension within the pieces, but underscores the tensions rampant in societal politics. No parts of our American landscape are left untouched, from gender to vandalism, from motherhood to exploitation, Buffalohead's work stands as a guide through the cultural landmines of our time.

(image: Julie Buffalohead, The Offering, 2023, monotype, 22 x 30 inches)

Ceramic artist George Rodriguez explores his own Texas/Mexican culture and the global communal nature of clay with large scale pieces ranging from animals to human figures. He thinks of himself as an artist, a potter, and a sculptor as he weaves mythical and historical aspects of his life growing up on the border between El Paso, Texas, and Juarez, Mexico.

Low-relief surfaces made to mimic embroidery embrace his large and small sculptures. He uses press molds and under glazes to animate and configure a complicated and ornate basis for telling his story, whether it is the contrast inherent in American iconography or a nod to the Terracotta Army depicting the armies of Qin Shi Huang in China, Rodriguez strives to find connections across cultures.

By taking advantage of the rich narratives he grew up with, Rodriguez participates in a personal dialogue, which comes across as almost interactive. His pieces pull the viewer into the world of magical realism, a place where animals talk and humans dream.