Inspired by his homeland and aiming to contribute his vision to the collective imagination of bestiaries, Aguascalientes-born artist Jesús Reyes has arrived in San Miguel de Allende to present his latest work, which includes drawings and sculptures of improbable creatures born from his imagination.
Prior to the opening of the exhibition, which will take place this Friday, May 8, at the Licea Moctezuma art space located at Quebrada Street No. 59, the visual artist gave a talk about his new work.
“One day, while watching a television program about prehistoric animals from the Paleolithic era, I thought about my homeland, my land, Aguascalientes. I started wondering what animals existed in those times, and I went to research them. The idea of creating a bestiary came to me, and that’s how the process of working with drawing began,” Jesús Reyes explained.
The exhibition comprises 20 ceramic sculptures and 40 drawings that the artist chose to create in color, even beginning his foray into working with porcelain, which gives some of the creatures translucent textures.
“I started thinking about animals or creatures. They are fantastical beings, beings unlikely to have existed in the Aguascalientes region, but in a way, they are beings that probably could have existed in other forms, and I was going to give them a face,” he explained.
The pieces, based on botany and taxology, also showcase the artist’s influences, ranging from fantasy literature to films and Mexican culture itself: “There are many influences, and I try to give them something of myself. I can’t say it’s a theme I’m discovering; I’m simply contributing my vision of my region, of the country,” he said.
The creatures that make up the exhibition stand out for their color and playful appearance; Without violent expressions, which led to his inclusion in the exhibition ‘Graphic Amalgam for Peace’ in León, Castile, Spain.
“I didn’t want to go into the realm of violent animals because I was able to handle the gestures of these very monstrous, aggressive ones, and I didn’t. What we want is a world at peace, right? So, suddenly delving into the realm of greater violence in animals was something I didn’t want to do.”
The exhibition will open this Friday, May 8th, at 6 p.m. and will run until July 20th.
Source: periodicocorreo
