March /April 2016 - art ltd 73Among the revelations from his wanderjahr
was the primacy of ceramics in other coun-
tries’ artistic culture. “There is a higher
consciousness about clay in Asia than in the
US,” Rodriguez says. “It is everywhere. You
can feel it. It is a connection point without
the lower status.” At the same time, he
concedes that such traditions can be unduly
binding, too. “Tradition is something you
need to respect; you learn it, but then move
on, lift it, and alter it,” he continues. “Imag-
ine a ceremonial object. You have it usable
for, say, a procession. It could be for a
smaller, everyday ceremony, not just a grand
event. After all the treasures in museums
that I saw, I’m more attached to the idea
of ‘What’s behind the object?’”Commenting on identity, he observes, “It’s
like when I was traveling, my appearances
and ethnic identity were so fluid. Because
I am fluent in Spanish, I could blend into
Peru. At the Trujillo Museum north of Lima,
the guard spoke to me and let me see the
hidden erotic [Pre-Columbian] pieces. When
I was in Asia, they thought I was Filipino
or something, so I went along with that.”Besides his Foster/White exhibition,
Seattle area viewers will have another
chance to observe Rodriguez’s ample skills
at the important group show, “Beyond
Aztlán: Mexican, Chicano and Chicana
Artists in the Northwest,” at Museum of
Northwest Art (March 26 – June 12, 2016).
Yet Rodriguez’s vision is distinct enough that
it transcends its subject matter, despite its
seeming wit and keen observation. “The
sculptures can be like a journal,” he says.
“I know humor catches people and then
draws them in. I don’t want to make a joke
[like Arneson], I want to make it more than
a joke. I think a lot about political and social
commentary when I am working, but I think
there’s enough of it in other people’s work,
so I don’t need to include it in mine.”
—MATTHEW KANGAS“Beneath the Surface,” a show of works by
George Rodriguez, will be on view at Fos-
ter/White Gallery in Seattle, from April 6 - 30,
He will also be part of the group show,
“Beyond Aztlán: Mexican & Chicana/o Artists
in the Northwest,” at Museum of Northwest
Art, in La Conner, WA.
March 26 – June 12, 2016.
http://monamuseum.org
Opposite:
George Rodriguez
Left to righ:
“George with Flowers,” 2011
Ceramic with glaze, 21" x 13" x 16"
“Calavera,” 2014
Ceramic with glaze, 18^1 ⁄ 2 " x 15" x 13"
Photos: courtesy Foster / White Gallery