Pepón Osorio

Summary

The artist discusses their work, which embraces contradiction and explores themes of race, machismo, and displacement. They recount a childhood memory involving a traumatic haircut, which inspired a piece reflecting on African heritage and the challenges of identity. The artist's installations aim to provoke uncomfortable reactions, challenging viewers to confront their own perspectives. They also describe a project involving plastifying a house to challenge stereotypes and a mission to renew their artistic philosophy, culminating in a piece telling the story of a family's loss and resilience.

Takeaways

• 🎨 The artist discusses their work as being subversive and embracing contradiction, suggesting that beauty can coexist with a range of emotions.
• 💇 'No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop' is a piece that recreates a childhood memory and addresses the intersection of race and rites of passage.
• 👨‍🎨 The artist's father, of African descent, was a significant influence, being a creative individual who painted and crafted items from wood.
• 🏭 Coming from a working-class background, pursuing art was not initially a viable option, leading the artist to work as a social worker while also creating art.
• 🛠 The artist's installations aim to be overpowering and often provoke aesthetically uncomfortable reactions, challenging viewers to confront themselves and the work.
• 🚫 'Scene of a Crime' was an exhibit that used barriers to create sacred spaces, forcing viewers to reflect on their relationship with the Latino community.
• 🏡 The artist has done public art projects in various settings, including barbershops, taxi cabs, and basketball courts, aiming to provoke change on multiple levels.
• 👪 'State of Preservation' was a project where a wealthy family's home was plastified for three months, exploring stereotypes of the Latino family.
• 🏠 The artist's work often involves visiting homes to create art, drawing from the religious tradition of visiting saints and seeking to bring contemporary art into domestic spaces.
• 🔄 The artist feels a sense of displacement, which they have been able to resolve through their art, finding their own place and mission in the art world.

Q & A

What is the artist's approach to contradiction in their work?

The artist embraces contradiction and believes it can coexist with beauty, anger, and different emotions.

What event from the artist's childhood is depicted in 'No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop'?

The artist's traumatic experience at the age of 5 when getting their hair cut by a barber who was not used to dealing with kinky hair.

How does the artist's work 'No Crying Allowed in the Barbershop' address issues of machismo and race?

The work deals with the issue of machismo and the artist's African descent, highlighting the displacement from their community and the intersection of race and rites of passage.

What was the artist's father's contribution to their artistic development?

The artist's father, of African descent, was a creative individual who painted and made wooden articles, inspiring the artist's interest in art.

Why did the artist initially not consider being an artist as a viable option?

Coming from a working-class family, being an artist was not considered a viable option, and the artist initially worked as a social worker.

What is the significance of the artist's installations being 'overpowering'?

The artist creates installations that are overpowering to provoke an aesthetically uncomfortable reaction, aiming to make viewers confront themselves and reflect on the issues presented.

How does the artist's work 'Scene of a Crime' challenge the audience's perception of space and access?

The work delineates specific spaces with a yellow ribbon, restricting access and forcing viewers to reflect and confront themselves about the issues presented.

What is the purpose behind the artist's public art projects in non-traditional settings like barbershops and basketball courts?

The artist aims to provoke change not only socially but also physically and spiritually, using public art projects to engage different sectors of society and challenge their perceptions.

What was the concept behind the artist's project 'State of Preservation' in Santa Barbara?

The project involved plastifying a wealthy family's entire house for three months, challenging stereotypical imagery of the Latino family and exploring the concept of preservation.

How does the artist's feeling of displacement influence their work?

The artist's feeling of displacement is a recurring theme in their work, which they use to find their own place and create art that resonates with others who may share similar experiences.

What is the artist's mission and philosophy regarding their work?

The artist has a clear mission to provoke change and create art that is meaningful and impactful, using their displacement as a source of inspiration and a way to connect with a broader audience.