Involutions by Jel Suarez

There’s something about Jel Suarez’s work that elevates it from mere appropriation into something else entirely. They are fitting depictions of Suarez’s imagination, experiences, and her thoughts. With “Involutions”, Suarez’s first solo exhibition, she has prepared her most ambitious set of works yet. After all, “involution” by definition could refer to intricacy and complexity. 

Every piece found in this collection is mesmerizing in their complexity, not only visually but also in their message. The surreal imagery is not only the product of the repurposing of the source material, but also of deconstructing and reconstructing them. It’s a classic example of making something new out of seemingly disconnected images, but in her pieces, there is an evident sense of mystery and wonder that goes with it, producing surrealist art at its most effective. The seemingly repetitive images almost form a dream-like tableau, a skewed depiction of a world both familiar but also jarringly different. 

With “Involutions”, Jel Suarez has given us a glimpse into her world: a world where classic art is turned on its head and the grotesque, the surreal, and the absurd are commonplace. There is a narrative that exists in all of her works, and “Involutions” is but the latest chapter in this narrative. It is also a waypoint in her artistic journey, showcasing her growth as an artist.

Appropriating and deconstructing image as a form of art may have been done before, but not with the same level of care and thought that Suarez puts into her work. 

While this is her first solo exhibition, there’s a confidence to Suarez’s work that should put people on notice. For Jel Suarez, art is a means for her to release all her frustrations and anxieties. And to that end, “Involutions” is akin to an exorcism in collage form. 

Don't Forget To Breathe - Jel Suarez & Chalk Zaldivar

October 1 to 23, 2014

Vinyl on Vinyl Gallery

In Akira Kurosawa’s Dreams, the master filmmaker reached inward to create a film that was built upon the dreams that he had over the years. The film was Kurosawa’s way of exploring different stages of his life, creating an artistic portrayal that favored visual splendor than dialogue. Dreams long been a major source of inspiration for different forms of art and in Don’t Forget to Breathe, artists Jel Suarez and Chalk Zaldivar recorded their dreams for a month and translated them through a series of collages that aim to show the humor, profound tragedy, and strangeness of their hidden fears and desires.

Suarez’s work aims to organize her thoughts through her collages in creating a visual narrative, while Zaldivar’s work ridicules the notion of his dreams. The medium that they use creates a stark separation between the two: Zaldivar utilizes odd shapes and colors cut from glossy modern magazines, while Suarez creates scenes from intricately cut objects and characters from old magazines and forgotten textbooks. Suarez revels in black and white subjects and imagery while Zaldivar shows zest with his colorful cut-outs.

Don’t Forget to Breathe is capped off with a dreamy, animated video installation that combines the two artists’ cut-outs to create a singular vision. The video is a colossal piece that shows the conflicts, the zigs, and the zags found inside the two minds that form this show.

Click the links below for photos of the artworks:

Jel Suarez

Chalk Zaldivar

See You Later, Hello Banda It's Jack Russell Terror!, Don't Forget To Breathe

Thank you to everyone who dropped by last October 1 despite the pouring rain. You can still drop by the gallery (Tuesdays to Saturdays 12 nn to 7 pm) and view the exhibit until October 25. See you later! :)