Jorge Javier Lopez, “OBSOLESCENCE”
The Laredo Center for the Arts (LCA) has recently expanded its programming: alongside some recent acquisitions of work by Laredo artists, LCA has launched an artist-in-residence program. The inaugural session features Jorge Javier López, whose opening reception for OBSOLESCENCE and artist talk will take place August 20 and 21, respectively. López’s figurative work depicts unfinished beings “with a focus on the human condition with themes of inner conflict, fragility, and clashing emotions. Themes of defunct technology and bodies, aging, and deterioration of purpose” permeate the artist’s work.
The LCA art acquisition initiative was proposed by the Center’s review committee, and is designed to exhibit and house the work of Laredoans. Laredo’s local online newspaper, Lare[DOS] News, describes the initiative in more detail, quoting Pedro Morales and committee co-chair Amici-Haynes:
“While Armando Hinojosa and Amado Pena remain the most recognized artists from Laredo, this initiative will shine the light on other established as well as up and coming contemporary artists from our community. We are developing a list of local artists which will later be expanded to include regional artists. Michael Tracy, Cesar A. Martinez, Thomas Glassford, Ethel Shipton, Luis Guerra, Anne Wallace, Eric Avery, [Miki] Rodriguez, Gil Rocha, Mauro C. Martinez, Ana Laura Hernandez, Hector Hernandez, Jerry Cabrera, and [current LCA artist-in-residence] Jorge Javier López are among artists we are looking at. There are many more, and our list continues to grow… . Our goal with every acquisition is to be able to pay the artist for their work, and so we are being creative about how we can make that happen.”
So far two works have been acquired. Blue Bato with Sunglasses by Cesar Martinez, and La Frontera by Ethel Shipton.
For more on the LCA’s new artist-in-residency program and acquisition project, please go here.
