This installation is part of a series of collaborations I have been working on with my mother, as nomads we deal with issues of displacement throughout our lives. In the middle of the Installation, there is an image of a landscape including iconic buildings from different cities around the world in which we have traveled or lived, to create an ideal dream landscape. Parallel Line This collaboration with my mother was born in order to more fully understand the place we both came from. Taking a red tread from a prior performance "Red Line" I claimed a space in the Venezuelan Consul Gallery in New York. The red tread became a red line by the use of tape creating parallel lines that change in color, the lines hold multiple meanings, they became raw of text, distant horizons, solicited connectors. The lines and videos became entangle as they express ideas the story, memories, and the common nostalgic place of origin Together the silent lines and the echoing videos affirmed our lives and experiences, the story, and the material creation and interaction and deliberately claim the space that lure us into a state of otherness where momentarily we are no longer nomads.
The male human body is used as a tool of seduction sharing a ritual practice that originally took in the country I was race, Venezuela. “Los diablos de Yares de Venezuela.” The work reflects the issues that nomads face: nostalgia, recalling homeland traditions in a new land, and loss of traditions that can’t be practiced anymore.
This collaboration with my mother resulted in sculptures, drawings, performances, and installations. These creations blend watching, waiting, and listening, reflecting on shared memories. Through heavy lines in yellow, red, and black, using materials like thread, tape, and pencil, we capture our stories, intertwining oral history with visual expression. The lines symbolize various meanings—text, horizons, connections, pulsating through our narratives. Videos complement our art, intertwining memories and psychological reflections, affirming our shared experiences and nostalgia.
Through the eyes of love. A safety pin is depicted as the first symbol of solidarity, education, and support for the victims of HIV/AIDS. The installation invites viewers to share experiences of loved ones lost during the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Let's never forget the millions lost during this HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Prison uniforms represent the bars of the cells; a video loop of inmate’s interaction is placed in the middle of the installation, inside a pile of uniforms. The main focus is to call attention to prison privatization. How politicians pass legislation such as “Three Strikes Your Out” to keep this new business full and profiting. The irony being a great number of these prisons were built on grounds of former plantation houses by African American and Mexicans inmates, the descendants of those who worked the land.
The U.S.A. flag performance carries a subtly sexual undertone, raising questions about its significance when used for profit. In my video installation, I aim to emphasize the flag's importance by painting it on 13 diverse nude bodies, in order to reflect changes in diversity, acceptance, and tolerance since the colonization of this nation. . The videos explore sensuality, discomfort, and societal reflections, prompting discussions on the flag's commercialization and sexualization.
Yellow grapes were chosen to symbolize the passing of the ecosystem and the abuse of our resources; the same way in Renaissance paintings, grapes were used to depict the passing or death of the child (Christ) The video installation uses recycled material and incorporates educational deforestation videos. Action is needed. Education is the key to stopping deforestation.
This work is inspired by A.W. Richard Sipe's "Sex, Priests, and Power," exploring St. Augustine's views on celibacy and its evolution within Catholic clergy. It critiques the institutionalization of celibacy and its impact on power dynamics and secrecy. The first video projection features a performance by the artist as a priest and a young man as a victim, prompting reflection on abuse scandals. The second projection showcases Reverend John's journey from Catholicism to Methodism, highlighting the acceptance of marriage and LGBTQ+ inclusion. Through editing techniques, the work synthesizes themes of spirituality, fragmentation, and modernity, inviting dialogue on the complexities of religious practice and abuse.
The viewers indulge in a surreal experience where the performer creates a wool curtain that challenges us to reflect on the labor-intense fashion Industry. Inspired by the work of Vanesa Beecroft.
This artistic work analyses the popular belief seeing Obama as the savior of the Nation and the world, after eight years of the Republican government under the leadership of Bush Junior, which left the country in an economic crisis. The viewer is invited to contemplate on a seemingly lifeless tree, which hopefully generates a positive outlook and brighter future. Looking forward to what our Jesus savior Barack Obama will do for us.
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BY JAVIER A. LARA, ARTIST
Saturday, August 24th through Friday, August 30th