Borderlandia
“We’re very comfortable with the baroque and quite uninterested in minimalism.”
Tired of plain vanilla? Come face to face with extravagant mix-media sculptures layered with glowing color, diverse cultures and acerbic social commentary created by internationally celebrated artists, Einar and Jamex de la Torre at CAFAM.
Opening on September 26, 2010, Borderlandia: Cultural Topography by Einar and Jamex de la Torre offers an eye-popping study of the terrain at the periphery of USA and Mexico. Conjuring up a vivid multi-polar world, the brothers create large-scale glass sculptures loaded with geopolitics and wit. Informed by their own cross-cultural encounters, the brother’s works are a visual and intellectual hybrid. Realized through the brothers’ collaboration, Borderlandia presents a fearless depiction of life and art on the fringe. Vivid imagery presented in a satirical and engaging manner boldly tackles issues of cultural duality and the melting pot of Southern California.
Each sculpture is an explosive synthesis of the varied cultural influences, mythologies and relics of ancient Latin America, as well as, the artifacts of the contemporary consumer arena. This collaborative body of work consists of both freestanding, pedestal, and wall mounted pieces comprised of masterful blown glass elements, depicting various Mayan, Aztec, and religious iconography, juxtaposed with historic icons and scores of trinkets scoured from dollar stores around the world. The viscous glass worked quickly by masterful hands, turns into juicy cartoon-like forms, imbued with vibrating soul and whimsical folly. Figurative symbols of time-honored cultural icons are fearlessly juxtaposed with secular and commercial materials.
Craft and Folk Art Museum
In a shrinking world, CAFAM believes in building common ground. As the twenty-first century brings global cultures ever closer together, we often find ourselves traveling in unfamiliar lands. This mapless new landscape requires inter-cultural fluency and frequent trips to CAFAM.
Einar and Jamex De La Torre: Borderlandia, Cultural Topography
Text by Scarlet Cheng, Los Angeles Times
September 26, 2010 – January 9, 2011
Craft and Folk Art Museum, 5814 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90036
CAFAM.org
