CHICANO ART MOVEMENT attends: Joel “rage.one” Garcia - “Tatewari” opening reception 2015
Via: Vincent Price Art Museum
‘The work of Los Angeles-based artist Joel “rage.one” Garcia will be featured in a solo show in the HOY SPACE. The title of Garcia’s exhibition, Tatewari, means “transformed by fire” and it refers to the transformation of young men who live at the personal intersection of the barrio and their own indigenous roots.
Whether through tattoos or clothing, these young men take on non-traditional regalia to create personas to face a world that is not ready to accept them. Through the rituals of indigenous ceremonies many of these urban “indios” battle internal struggles to earn a place among good, compassionate men. Tatewari features prints created through experimental techniques and using natural inks and dyes derived from agave, prickly pear, and aloe vera, among other plants. The prints are part of a larger installation including remixed traditional indigenous objects.
Garcia is Director of Programs and Operations at Self Help Graphics and Art; he is a visual artist and cultural organizer who has collaborated with organizations such as the Dolores Huerta Foundation, UFW (United Farm Workers), Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural, John Anson Ford Amphitheatre, Japanese American National Museum, among others. He studied illustration at Otis College of Art & Design and holds degrees in Photography (2002) and Business Management (2003) from East Los Angeles College.’
(Joel “rage.one” Garcia - “Tatewari” in the HOY Space at Vincent Price Art Museum)
CAM:
On Saturday, June 13th, 2015 we attended the opening reception to Joel Garcia’s, “Tatewari” exhibition in the HOY SPACE at the Vincent Price Art Museum in Monterey Park, California. Showing in conjunction with “Tatewari” at the museum were, “Chicanitas: Small Paintings from the Cheech Marin Collection {size doesn’t matter}” in the Large Gallery, and Nao Bustamante’s, ‘Soldadera’ located in the Small Gallery. We first visited “Chicanitas” then viewed ‘Soldadera’ and moved on to “Tatewari.” Walking into the HOY SPACE we were first met with a change temperature for the warmer in comparison to the other galleries located in the museum.
(Joel Garcia - 'La Dreamers Catch' installation of mixed media at Vincent Price Art Museum 2015)
I was not sure if the climate change occurrence was part of the installation, or the flow of air conditioning could not keep up with the plenitude viewers in the gallery. Prior to attending I did read up on the exhibition and learned the artworks would have an indigenous disposition to them. My first assumption experiencing the warmth was that it had been manipulated to create a Sweat lodge-esque effect to enhance contemplation of Joel’s work. I was also informed the word Tatewari comes from the Huichol language and means “transformed by fire.” Hmmm, coincidence or not? After adjusting to the variation of indoor atmospheric conditions, the first piece I focused on was Mr. Garcia’s powerful 'Dreamers Catch' installation.
(Joel Garcia - “Fabian” serigraph 2015 from “Tatewari” exhibition at VPAM)
The detail in the installation that lured me in was the creativeness of how the Dream catcher was assembled and presented. That component of the installation had been created with a bicycle wheel, bullet shell casings, feathers, string and rope. I took time to examine the 'La Dreamers Catch' installation as a whole to comprehend. What I took from it was that artist had created a interpretation of an observance of preparing attire in the Chicano, Mexican-American and Latino barrio communities. Associating it with how indigenous warriors would prepare their garments in ceremony for celebration or show of force. Even though I had viewed this occurrence numerous times in person through the years, I never perceived it as ritualistic until Mr. Garcia prepared it for display in a gallery setting. Doing some research while writing this piece I did become aware that artist Garcia was exploring the similarities of rituals between indigenous roots and gang culture.
(Joel “rage.one” Garcia - “Kupi” (movement, transformation) 2015 screen print with aloe vera based ink [black bone pigment, earth] on cloth.)
Other visually stimulating works in the exhibit were Joel’s black bone pigment, earth screen printed on cloth artworks. The pieces reminded me of prison art created pañuelos (handkerchiefs), with a design that I perceived as nods to painters René Magritte and Salomón Huerta. What had me most intrigued were a couple of earth toned serigraphs that were printed with aloe vera based inks containing rust, bone black pigment, earth, cadmium minerals. The aloe vera based ink method really sparked my curiosity. I moved in for closer color tone study to inspect the vibrant earth tones developed by Joel.
Joel “rage.one” Garcia’s, “Tatewari” was a very thought provoking and enlightening exhibition.
More info on museum visit: http://vincentpriceartmuseum.org
More images: CHICANO ART MOVEMENT/Facebook page