Here are a few artists featured in the recent University of Texas El Paso 2012 Biennial faculty show at the Stanlee and Gerald Rubin Center for the Visual Arts, which closes today.
Sequía de Sueños (Dream Drought)
The work of El Paso artists often comments on the border and its challenges. Adrian Esparza’s work is no exception. A beautiful landscape-patterned curtain divides, hides, excludes and shuts off in a profound way, both blocking access and limiting our vision of, not only what’s on the other side, but also what we could become. Entitled, Dream Drought, it brings to mind not only the lack of physical water along the border, but also implies a lack of hope.
Another favorite is the small-scale metal sculpture of Anna Jaquez whose work addresses personal mythologies and childhood fears.
Anna Jaquez
Colibri Argentina: Argollada (Argentina Humningbird: Imprisoned)
Metal, wood, paint, prismacolor
Read more about Anna Jaquez in Southwest Senior.
Ray Parish
Tesla
Beautiful craftsmanship gets me every time. I love the contrast between the polished, highly-reflective copper globe and the light-absorbing corroded base. I immediately draw associations with the memento mori tradition and the dichotomy of wealth and poverty. Ray often employs found materials and said the copper came from used propane tanks and the base is one he found in the UTEP ceramics department. Taken out of their normal context they are transformed.
Read Dr. Stephanie L Taylor’s article about Ray Parish in Art Lies.