ILK Gallery
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Victoria del Carmen Perez
- Additional Information -
Opening August 4th, 2000, Victoria del Carmen Pérez will be exhibiting her recent paintings at ILK Gallery. This exhibit consisting of five pieces are a continuation of a series of paintings Pérez has been working on for the last two years. In these paintings Pérez utilizes blood mixed with glitter and varnishes on canvas to accomplish an extreme and somewhat terrifying effect. This is not the fist time this artist has used blood in her paintings, but it will be the first time where the use of this material is overwhelming and obvious.
Although Victoria considers herself an American artist, she acknowledges influences, in her work, of her Cuban roots and background. Victoria immigrated to the United States with her family at the age of 12 and has not visited her native home since that time.
Her recent work is influenced by artists like Ana Mendieta, who used blood in some of her performances making reference to rituals associated with the Afro-Cuban religion known as Santeria. The paintings in this show definitely have an "American" feel to them in that they fall within the tradition of American abstraction. The reference to the tradition of abstraction is a purposeful reference. The paintings, like the artist, are a mix of traditions and cultures. The blood not only has the obvious relationship with ideas of religious sacrifice in Santeria and many other religions but equally interesting is that it might remind us of the commonly held stereotype of Latin Americans as "hot blooded." This might make the viewer consider the idea of self-expression in relation to both art and culture.
Please contact the artist directly for more information about the show or to view addtional work.
tel: 303-832-9824
email: vickyperez@netzero.net
web: www.victoriaperez.com
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