Ofrecimientos an art exhibition, a sensory experience as mentioned in the flyer itself. Let's not go off by what's mentioned in the flyer, but what I and those who went were able to experience that night. On Friday, 18th, 2022 the doors opened to the exhibition holding Octoabe @octoabe and Beker @stbeker work touching on religious themes, personal messages as it also centered around the significance of "ofrendas." As we entered their realm filled with a 963 Hz sound known as the "Frequency of the Gods" along with the labor of love produced and performed by Mario Eleazar Garcia "Through the Pane" as he baked that day's bread for hours, for us. The warmth of such a piece of bread that it felt wrong having two pieces, but I felt welcomed and somewhat at home that it was bread I could not let go to waste. With my bread in hand walking around the exhibition as the "Frequency of the Gods" filled the room. It was an experience offered by Octoabe and Beker that allowed me to immensely immerse myself through each step and gaze. What did the audience and I gaze upon? Well Octoabe and Beker shared a few words with us during the exhibition (what I really enjoyed was that this interview was planned to be outside, but I'm glad we did it inside so everybody could hear what the artists had to say.)
Ofrecimientos - a joint exhibition as we begin with Octoabe
Looking at Octoabe's art through these times and seeing these surreal portraits of himself and looking at this exhibition I can see glimpses of yourself with the vulnerability you showcase with your work. For example on "Layers" with the fabrics stitched together. I see it as the skin we may have, how rugged it is, used, beaten that has grown rough over time. Not only this, but what we in the valley itself, colorism, racism towards one another to what defines to be "latino" or "hispanic."
When it comes to "Patron Saint of Hope" I mention in our talk that when it comes to his work there is a usage of "goblin like creatures" to portray himself and his emotions, but not this case. On the "Patron Saint of Hope" it's not him, but his brother used as a model for this piece. I was actually moved by the reveal itself! Continuing on the piece what I really enjoyed was the frame around the piece which turned out to be a silver platter. It just adds so much. Octoabe begins to mention "this piece the model is my brother which could be mistaken for a self portrait. While my brother is the model this is a touch on the Patron Saint Jude, the performer of miracles. I decided to depict the Saint Jude the way I think is more accurate. So like the hook nose, the bigger beard, the darker skin more like an eastern man. I decided to paint this on a silver platter to represent a halo because I didn't include the traditional symbols such as the medallion he has with the face of Jesus on it, the flame above his head which is the holy spirit, and his wooden staff."
I like how Octo mentions he used his brother as the model because the way I see it. I took this as his exhibition, but now that I think about it more it may be how he thinks about his own family as he says "yeah that's accurate I definitely see him as my support system. He is someone I hold close to my heart. I am very close my brother so that's on the nose."
Moving on the brush. The brush and how it's mounted it's like your center piece, your tool. Like a blacksmiths tool, but this is yours. While when it comes to art I think of artists creating for themselves, but seeing it in a public space such as this exhibition you're showing us YOUR tool that you use to create as he explains "let me explain the way that I crafted it. It's a piece of cedar that I carved and sanded it. It's molded to my hand. I hold my pencils in a very unconventional way. I also used my own hair on this brush because I wanted to speak about how my tools are an extension of myself. My art is a documentation of myself, it's pieces of myself, my experiences, my feelings, and my thoughts. I felt this was appropriate because the tool is me and I'm tool same with my art. The art is me and I'm the art. That is the brush." When it comes to the brush it's so well crafted as well it's crafted for himself, molded for it's user. The way Octo held his brush especially showing that we truly have our own identity as it caused me to reflect on how I hold my pencils or rather my personal "tools". When it comes to pencils I like to hold them by almost the very tip or else my hand beings to feel odd?
Looking upon and taking in the "Fruit of Sorrows" when I see the cigarettes and mezcal I think of a man's vices. Is there an emotion or thought on this as he says "When it comes to 'Fruit of Sorrows' do you know the saying 'you reap what you sow' so like say you want to be rich you invest your money so you reap those fruits, but in a more negative context these are the fruits you'd bear living a life of addiction, of trauma, feelings of depression and etc. These vices are negative in nature or death. The fruit of your labor, but in this sense it's the fruit of your sorrows. I wanted to traditionally display it through a still life so I arranged this and captured it in that moment." As a man who suffered with his addictions a few years back. There was something about this painting as a whole and what a person chooses their "vice" or rather their "sorrow" to be and what about the outcome? As Octo said "the fruit of your labor, but in this sense the fruit of your sorrows."
Walking through the exhibition there was this piece that I thought was part of the room until Octo mentioned "on this piece it's the idea is to conceal it" and he got me as he continues to explain "it's made to be something you wouldn't normally see or look at. This comes from an image I'd see as a kid. It's something I'd see as skid that I would pay no mind too. I wouldn't question why we had a box of detergent in the air vent as a kid. The piece is called 'Translucent' because I feel that's how parents are towards their kids. They tell you something, but they don't tell you fully. It's not the complete truth, but not entirely a lie. I grew up when I was younger with my parents moving drugs and I thought it was a great way to release this emotion and this trauma to reflect on what this meant symbolic. If I had to be symbolic the detergent would be my innocence due to it being clean. The vent here obstructs your view it's symbolic of the lies your parents would tell you to keep you safe and to keep you ignorant. It's a much more personal piece."
Octo shares his final comment,
I had a great time doing it. It's all done with love. It's all intentional. There's detail behind every intention. These installations is set up to offer a different perspective for the viewer. It's set up for the viewer to reflect. Thank you
Ofrecimientos - a joint exhibition as we begin with Beker
Looking through Beker's art titles and description it mentions "ink jet transfers" which is a medium I haven't heard of or know much about as he says "so 'originally' I did want to make images with a type of transfer. There's different ways to create using transfers. The way I found it to be more successful to create an image I would prefer was with an inkjet printer and transparency paper on which I would print on the back side of transparency film. The ink does not stay on the paper so that gave me the ability to transfer to compact, paper, and watercolor paper. When it came to use inkjet printing that it is an odd process and that it involved trial and error." First of all I never thought or heard of someone using a printer this way. When it comes to an artists just about anything can be their tool, huh?
Becker continues as he mentions on what he wanted to capture with his work as he says "In most of my images I wanted to capture dreams. Holy imagery in a way that I saw it growing up." So he mentions "Dreams" which can be "holy" and "religious" in pieces such as "Remedy" and "Elysian." When it comes to "Elysian" it looks like I'm going up a hill looking at a cross made of wood. Hmmm looking at it at first I did just enjoy the view and I was wondering why is it grainy yet fuzzy like, but as Beker mentions "yes I was trying to capture that. These are photos I have captured over the past 6 months. I've always wanted to show photos on their own, but never found a way to showcase them properly. I wanted to capture or find another way to capture these photos. Doing these transfers there's the texture the paper and the colors come out come out more than what they would do on 'normal' paper. If you get close enough you can see the colors meshed together and it creates a new color in a way. Kinda meshes the image together."
Going one by one down piece by piece Beker says "Remedy is a photo I used of my significant other. She provides a remedy to the hardships I've seen in my life. I see her as the light of my life. That's what I wanted to capture." The smile on his face as he looked at his significant other. From what I saw she looked very proud. He pulled through and put his part of the exhibition and he offered what he had onto us for this one night.
"When it comes to Elysian I wanted to capture the image of a cross in heaven in a way...after death." I was really mesmerized by this piece. I looked upon for a long time especially when the 963 Hz just hit and it was a moment that's engraved in my mind. As a man that struggled with his faith I really enjoyed the experience.
"Anima is a self-portrait in way. Growing up I raised catholic and just seeing holy images. Surrounded by the culture of that religion. With humans being made in the image of God I wanted to capture myself that. My face with large stars around my face representing the Virgin Mary's crown." I was raised catholic growing up as a child. Looking at this piece and how it's set up by the white picket fence. A sense of innocence is captured from my perspective and along with the grass softly breezing by the affect of the fuzz. Kinda makes me feel what people say when they say "he's always watching and hearing" if that makes sense.
"Here with 'Static' with I was trying to promote uneasiness such as s nightmare."
"These next two are just prints transparency film to give off transparency. The first one is me trying to just reach into myself. I kept having to capture myself trying to get myself trying to just put this exhibit together."
"As with Solomon I wanted to represent holiness and people. Solomon was a holy king who supposedly spoke to god directly. The lines and dots. I see those as people as god's hand going through all those people." The cracks, the lines are just so good! Even with the specs or "the people" being far off they aren't as the lines reach in all directions even to its very corners.
With Beker sharing his final comment,
I want to say thank you to everyone involved and I appreciate the interview.
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