Provided by Centro Cultural Aztlan
Artist Statement:
My work straddles between the concepts of representation and abstraction. Through these ideas, the canvas speaks to different people in different ways. I am fascinated by iconic people and symbols of different generations throughout the past and present and how they evoke different meanings in different people.
My work consists of images of Texas Life, Hispanic: History/Culture/Life, People, Places, Everyday life, Historical Landmarks, Inanimate objects, Still Life, as a devoted christian I also do works of spirituality. Many of these subjects represent, if not a direct cultural affiliation to me, then a distant or historical perspective. Those who share with me the same or similar cultural experiences will connect to the concept and abstraction via memory and emotion. The same applies to those who lived in a different time upon seeing a cultural image or icon recognizable to them within their era. I want them to see what they once saw, but in a brand new way.
By weaving together different mediums such as, acrylic paints, mixed media, and emphasizing intensive color, along with abstraction and representation, my work forms into a fusion of local cultural dynamics that turn an object of the past or present into a single medium of art which can be viewed through a modern or postmodern lens, depending on where one stands within the realm of historical Consciousness.
Abstraction and representation, as well as my personal foundations, cultural and educational experiences, all blend into my conscious and subconscious mind and allow me to create works of art that I hope will bring an emotion or memory from the past or present to all who view it.
I was born in San Antonio, Texas, in 1989. My artistic abilities began to take form during middle school. After completing my basic and art courses at Palo Alto College in San Antonio, Texas, I transferred to the University of the Incarnate Word where I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Art in May of 2013. My college years became instrumental in bestowing upon me a foundation of important and personal experiences that continue to benefit me in my development as an artist and human being. It is within this framework that I continually strive to become the best artist I can be, constantly searching for the transcendent connection between art and its ability to evoke memory and emotion upon those who might view it.
More information is available at www.emmanuelsa.com
