Skulls and Roses

Skulls and Roses

remembrance and rebirth

October 1–November 12, 2021

Calaveras y Rosas
recuerdo y renacimiento

Juror:
Camilo Villa; artist, designer, educator

Skulls and Roses is about remembrance, rebirth and transformation in correlation with San Rafael’s Día De Los Muertos celebration. To paraphrase juror Camilo Villa: “Remembering and honoring life is one of the most powerful tools art has offered since ancient communities imprinted beliefs and practices in their cave paintings. Art allows us to understand our ancestors in order to understand and honor where we come from. These exhibiting artworks will immerse the audience in the process of birth, life, and death. Drawing the audience in to question what it means to live and die in this world today.”

Artists:

Timothy Armstrong, Vincent Avalos, Benjamin Benet, Harry Caldwell, Craig Coss, Linyu Diaz Arroyo, Marlee Durand, Matthew Felix Sun, Timothy Flanagan, Andrea Flores, Jo Ford, Django Golden, Vicki Gunter, Zoe Jackson, Jose Jimenez, Ruben Joy, Stephanie Jucker, Eric Kelly, Tom Kirk, Antonia Lawson, Sanda Manuila, Barbara McLain, Jeanette Monterio, Irene Schlesinger, Mary Serphos, Siana Smith, Andrea Speer Hibbard, Eliza Thomas, Paulette Traverso, Camilo Villa, Raffi Zaroukian

Juror's Statement:

"In my role as a juror for the Skulls & Roses exhibition, I responded to conceptually strong works that made me reflect about transformation and remembrance. In the process of selecting the work, I noticed a wide variety in technique and subject portrayal. The selection process was very challenging, since the vast majority of the work demonstrated strong conceptual and technical skills. Remembering and honoring life is one of the most powerful tools art has offered humanity ever since ancient communities around the world imprinted frameworks of shamanic beliefs and practices in their cave paintings. Art allows us to understand the history of our ancestors in order to understand and honor where we come from.

"Looking at the paintings, sculptures, prints, and mixed media pieces that made it to the final round of this exhibition, they all convey a narrative that immerses the audience into an intrinsic experience of understanding the process of birth, life, and death. The works selected are not a direct reflection of pieces I consider aesthetically pleasing, but rather works that draw the audience in to question their own thoughts about what it means to live and die in this world today.

"I want to congratulate everyone who submitted their work for this exhibition and I don't want anyone to feel discouraged for not making it to the final round. Every work had a story to tell and I thank you all for taking the time to convey your thoughts about transformation and remembrance. Remembering and trying to understand death is not an easy task, but it only brings us closer to the present moment, which you all did by creating and sharing your powerful work."

- Camilo Villa, www.camilovillastudio.com