Being in the Trucha RGV Office hmm I want to say probably a month ago? There was an art piece that was on the wall that caught my attention. It was in this art style as Marco mentions in his bio "pre-cuitlahuac" but "modern." It was something that I looked up and has lived rent free in my head. Funny enough after there was Art Walk in Mcallen and I found that same art style in various pieces, I got a piece and I've been meaning to hang it in my office! There's something about this modern twist on pre-cuitlahuac imagery that reminds me of where I come from. Reminds me of hmmm los guerreros de antes, pero los guerreros de hoy en la pelea para la justicia if that makes sense. Well this week's feature is Marco Antonio López @shipleysart
Before getting into the main questions we ask Marco what he has been enjoying as of recently? "As of recently, I really like exploring different types of artesanía and the most recent one I learned was making the flores de cempasúchil de papel. I really love xóchitls." I watched that video on Instagram and even though it was sped up I can't imagine the step by step process to create that. Yo that's even be a cool workshop to consider as well! (I'll keep this in mind) We continue by asking if there's any shouts he would like to give out "Hmmmm… my friends that have egged me on ,Yvette, Jackie, Carmen, and Josue , believed in me and my art which launched me into putting myself out there more than I ever thought."
While learning a bit of about what Marco has been doing let's ask, who is Marco? What could he tell us about himself and the art he creates? "Damn, deep question… If I put it simple I really don’t know who I am. I think for a long time I defined myself by my band L@s Skagaler@s but we split up in June, and I have this artistic side too that was kind of on hold through my time in the band so I’m seeing where it’s going to take me. I was born in Monterrey, went to school at Texas A&M, with no effort and gave my mom the degree. I have always loved organizing and I think doing art has always been a way for me to organize so now im just using another medium. I was raised in a typical Mexican house hold but I always felt like an oddball. I think a lot of the time I’m trying to figure myself out. I can be a grouch, cause I see a lot of injustices, but I can also be the friend that you really need. I hide my nerdiness with a tough exterior. Idk if this helps?!?!?" Honestly being raised in Reynosa and being raised in The Valley created his geeky/nerdy guy who in Mexico being surrounded by machismo and the culture has created a front for me which is in the works of breaking. There's something about having an upbringing in both sides, huh? There's a little bit Marco and I. I also never got the opportunity to see L@s Skagaler@s because of my previous job and the shift I had being 2pm-11pm then the drive would lead me to be in Mcallen past midnight, but I did showcase the music in my virtual art exhibitions if I recall correctly!
Reading Marco's bio he mentions "my attempt to paint a modern interpretation of pre-cuitlahuac imagery" , but what is "cuitlahuac imagery" and what does it mean to him? Looking upon this imagery what does it evoke from Marco? What about this imagery catches his attention? As he explains "So, as I was trying to identify myself as an artist I knew that my art was pre-Colombian but I wanted to make sure that I made a revolutionary statement with any move I made with this art, this I chose to call it pre-cuitlahuac art because Cuitlahuac was the last tlatoani to resist the Spanish after the traedor Moctezuma. He died from smallpox. Using that title, I feel like I continue the legacy of trying to rebel against colonization by depicting a world that was never conquested. What caught my attention from codices was that I felt like I had never learned this story. So the first time I saw the Borgia Codice, I was in awe. I felt like all this story, all this history, was kept from me. It was like being woke, again. I wanted to make sure that our story through codices continues for the future generations and paint them a completely new story, about our current time, resistance, and what is to come." I think what caught my attention to learn more about my "roots" or even the people such as Gloria Anzaldúa while I read the book, I went back to reading it to UNDERSTAND. I took courses in college in on Nahuatl poetry, writing, and expressions. We were even translating a book that hasn't been published (I don't recall which is a bummer and my old laptop had the PDF of a cool book we were reading in Spanish/the original language) Meeting people from Neta, Trucha, Craft Cultura you really learn a lot. With the art of "resisting" isn't this what some of these organizations are doing in their own way? Isn't resisting what we do in our way? There's something about the art style that while colorful it portrays STRENGTH and sometimes it's art work like this to give us that push as well.
In his bio Marco mentions he is creating his own "modern interpretation", but how so? What makes it a modern interpretation? compared to "pre-cuitlahuac imagery" as he explains "I try to paint revolutionaries post the conquest. I paint revolutionary folx, people who inspire me (like my friends) and a glimpse into what the future would look like if we hadn’t been conquested by the bastard spaniards (aztecs in space)." I saw that piece "aztec in space" and now I see what Marco means. The "what if" scenario. I mean imagine instead of the chase tower we had "teocalli."
To those who look upon your work, what do you wish to evoke from them? Is there anything you wish to say with your work? "I want us to not be forgotten. I want us to look at our past with a present lens. I want to. I want to continue telling our story of a proud and resilient people." As people I agree that we can go by without knowing about our past, but while we may not "see" to how it was before we can definitely see it through these modern interpretations along with literature, and of course how can I not mention taste. To at least give us glimpse of what once was.
What sort of feedback has Marco received upon his artwork?
"I think it makes people think. It makes people wonder what if…what if we organized? What if we wrote that satirical newspaper? What if i was an artist? What if I was an astronaut in space? What if???" I mean looking at Marcos work really made me think back on my courses and college along with the unfinished book I have in my bookshelf. What if I finished it and learned even more? It's the way I'm encountering new Latin American Film and the culture within it. If it wasn't for C. Diaz introducing me to this...what if? We'd be missing out.
When it comes to his expression, how does he wish to continue with his work?
"I went down a futurist spiral during the pandemic and currently that is where my mind is but I also want to paint more contemporary stuff like being at the pulga, skating at the skate park, and more revolutionaries cause we don’t hear enough about them like David Alfaro Siqueiros, Angelines Fernandez, and Lucia Parsons."
Thankfully I "know" Angelines Fernandez because she plays La Bruja Del 71, but I say "know" because that's it. Just because I've seen her play one role isn't enough. There might also be more to her than that if Marco mentions "revolutionaries." Interesting enough David Alfaro Siqueiros sounds familiar! I had to get up and get my art-book which speaks on David and bit of his work. Thank you Marco for scratching my memory on that.
When it comes to his artwork is there anything personal about yourself you implement into his work as he shares with us "Sometimes I like to paint myself, my friends, or my family like my stepson. I like including them in the revolution. I drew my kid cheering on workers that are sacrificing Trump, with Bernie and Hillary heads on stakes." Coming back to this I kinda understand what Marco may be meaning when he says "I wanted to make something that was inclusive" especially with the crowd of people depicted in the painting I'd say that gives off a mural"vibe" as well.
What would you say was your first experience/instance seeing pre-cuitlahuac imagery? From seeing it to now creating your own modern interpretations. Do you remember the first times trying your hand at creating your interpretation? How was that as he says "I feel like I am creating this art. When I would search revolutionary art I always would feel like it was white washed. I wanted to make something that was inclusive of us as workers because I feel like many other razas, we are not included in the working class art." I'd say white washed because they how would they know what goes on behind their A.C and $15 coffees as Marco says "I wanted to make something that was inclusive" which is very important. To depict the realities of the working class.
Does Marco have a favorite piece they've created, if so which one and why?
"Hmmmm… It would have to be my astronaut piece En Las Citlalis. I have always wanted to be an astronaut and probably had the capacity to do so, but somewhere in my life I was pushed in another direction of not believing in myself and I kind of believed it. I eventually got out of that mentality and painted that and it awoke a new chapter in my life with all my space series." A series? A space series? Only given one image now I will for sure seek out the rest. The uniform or rather the space suit really catches that "what if" moment Marco speaks about as well.
Does Marco remember or still have the first piece of artwork they've created? How has he seen progress with his art style since then as he explains
"Jesuuuus…. Lol. Ummm I had sketches of when I was first experimenting with my art and I was trying to figure out what I would want to paint. I tattooed people at some point in my life, I wasn’t the best, so I didn’t pursue it plus did you know that people want you to tattoo thing they want on them? I thought they would just let me put my stuff on them. So anyway, I would sketch random stuff from skeletons playing instruments, literally the stuff on my arm, to random animals. It varied. I think I fell into this style of art after my trip to Monterrey and I saw the codices at a museum. My style continues to evolve more towards the roots. I really want people to see my stuff and think that it could have been a codice from the 1500s. I want them to go back in time but then be like, 'there weren’t bikes back then, wth?!?'" I mean I may or we may never "truly" go back in time, but we can truly find other ways. It's always nice to experience something to new and to especially share with those who are willing to offer an ear. From his first time experimenting to having a space series of his own to having an idea of what he wishes to push out. It doesn't stop there because our root certainly go deeper than what we expect. If we certainly dig hard enough we'll it. I remember looking at the piece by Marco inside the Trucha office and that's always been on my mind until I finally got my own. Especially now with what he's crafting asuuuu! It looks legit.
Marco shares his thoughts on the local valley scene?
The valley scene is unique. I think there are a bunch of amazing artists and I feel like we’re are Texas’ best kept secret. There is so much art, color, and sounds that people are just so out of touch because even to this day we are overlooked. I get happy when I see other artists I know have a show in San Antonio, New York, or where ever cause it’s like fuck yea we are from the valley!!! Look at us!!!
Any final comments?
Thank you for letting me talk a little about my art. I really feel seen especially when I push myself back so no one sees me. I think people seeing my art and liking it just motivates me to continue to do more. And even if they don’t like it, tell me why. I feel like I will either here you out or ignore you. It’s only going to help me.
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