The Artist Statement
Ana Corina Esclusa
Being a
significantly politically active adolescent, I see the world through tampered
eyes,seeking
criticism
in every possible instance. As art is a reflection of my being, it is only
rational that my exhibition would be based on a subject that exposes the
latter, bringing me to the overarching theme of the display, the politically
absurd. By exploring my talents and passions through different methods and
mediums, I arrived to the exhibition ready to open my audiences eyes to the
hypocritical reality of politics through an aesthetically pleasing presentation
focusing on the most crucial topics of todays world. Starting with a far from
reach criticism of Vladimir Putin and ending with a real life graffiti of my
home grown, conflict plagued Venezuela, this exhibition touches notes of all
kinds tied together through their absurdity. With a large focus on oil paints and
faces, my exhibition is based on my strengths in portraits and my slight
narcissistic obsession with faces including my own, however, the mediums are
not limited to oils. Through media testing and much exploration, I managed to
mix up my art work through including spray paint, oils, acrylics, water colors,
printing techniques, and various other components that made my exhibition
possible. Overall, I hope to reveal not only my personal approach to the topics
i focus on, but to encourage those who see it to increase the extent to which
they are politically active and promote that they be politically and socially
aware. With a basis in internal struggles, limitations of sexuality, incorrect
admiration and countless other subjects, my exhibition comes together to
represent who I am as an individual, what I feel in regard to these topics, and
ultimately what I would like society to be.
Broke Back Mountain by Ana Corina Esclusa
Oil and modeling paste on canvas. 18 x 24 cm
In this painting, through using oils and modeling paste, I intended to communicate the still present scars caused from the history of racism throughout American history. With todays protest such as Black Lives Matter, I wanted to communicate how society pretends that the past is forgotten however, African Americans don’t forget. The past is scarred in their lives much like whipping scars on slaves backs. The strong hues and almost dripping brushstrokes give movement to the painting.
El Imperio by Ana Corina Esclusa
Acrylic on canvas. 48x24 cm
A piece that is focused on my home land Venezuela, this painting represents how political graffiti holds more truth and power than actual politics in a corrupt government and society. The can is exploding with truth that is withheld by the government and is meant to represent the hope of the revolution. Also,the fact that the paint is a light green hue represents a change from the iconic Chavista red that is slathered on the wall, the black graffiti has the same effect.
Pablo el Malo, Hijo de Putin, Donald McDonald
Oil on canvas, 18x24, 18x24, 18x24 cm
by Ana Corina Esclusa
In this series, I focus on three infamous figures in modern history who are receiving undue praise. The series starts with Pablo Escobar modeled after his mugshot, painting the drug king pin with feminine colors as well as changing the prison card for a Netflix directors cue, referring to his rise to fame do to the show Narcos. This later developed o me painting Vladimir Putin for his Times/Crimes most influential person of the year award and Donald Trump painted in a democratic blue because of his success in his presidential campaign.
Self Destruct by Ana Corina Esclusa
Medium: Linocut print on construction paper. 40x20 cm
The piece represents the mind of a self destructive person, an image of myself. By placing an erupting volcano as the face and the brain of the woman,I try to represent how overthinking kills. Also, through having the woman be naked I represented the vulnerability when self destructive thoughts consume oneself. The altering of the color of the ink represents different situations with the same outcome, and grants contrast to the piece with opposing colors such as windsor blue and light magenta.
Left Behind by Ana Corina Esclusa
Transfer on watercolor paper. 27 x 55 cm
Using the iconic face of innocence of Macaulay Culkin from the movie Home Alone, I decided to uniform the profile of the everyday applicant to the universities. In the application process, identities are stripped down until the candidate is nothing but a number. By having Culkin’s face fade away as the sequence continues, this piece hopes to reveal the reality of how human beings are departed from who they are to reveal a number that decides their future. Alternating GPA’s shows how the process is the same for all, and the piece describes my personal experience with the process. The face gives familiarity to the process and the transfer techniques grants the effect of fading away.
Self Portrait by Ana Corina Esclusa
Oil on canvas. 11 x 14 cm
The first work in the exhibition,the self portrait was a class project that focused heavily on facial structure. The portrait was based on a previous blind charcoal portrait and a photograph of myself. Them color palate was for the most part realistic, except for the green hued hair which in the right lighting resembles the actually brown hair. This was y first experiment with oils.
Exhibition Setting
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