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Growing up in Mexico you can't escape its rich history and tradition, particularly the manifestations of people's devotions combined. Syncretic altars containing images of Catholic and pre-Columbian imagery together with  pop culture and personal elements; "offerings" adorned with Christmas lights, were not hard to find in places like auto body shops or markets. I'm deeply inspired by this.

In my explorations of visual expression I found that altars, as a surface, serve very well the artistic purpose of pointing something out, in a specific way, for a specific reason. A meaningful thing in a sacred space. I placed objects, found and created, in altars as I would spread paint on a canvas, or graphite on paper. Using text as texture, or to complement the visual image with written language, or both.

For many years I dissected existing religious images and mixed them with my personal iconography. In the last series of altars I produced, on view here, I used the ubiquitous icon of the human heart, appropriated it, and expressed with it what my own heart was going through during the process of immigrating to Canada.

When a friend of mine, an artist from Arizona, who loves Mexico and its culture, learned that I had moved to Canada, he couldn't believe it. -What are you doing there, in the snow and cold? He asked. -What is your Jaguar heart doing in the land of Bears? -Are you in love? He asked. I was.

So, I created an altar portraying my jaguar heart in the land of bears and snow.

What is Your Jaguar Heart

Doing in the Land of Bears?

60 x 38 x 10 cm.

(23 x 15 x 7")

This series of altars, all of which are self portraits, are the result of that pivotal time in my life, when I moved to another country, following my heart. 

Sad Beyond Belief

33 x 25 x 12 cm.

(13 x 10 x 5") 

Autobiography

44 x 27 x 21 cm.

(18 x 11 x 9 ")

Passerby

64 x 43 x 9 cm.

(26 x 17 x 4")

Ticking

25 x 65 x 17 cm.

(10 x 25 x 6 ")

Ritual

57 x 29 x 10 cm.

(22 x 11 x 4 ")

Ojos Que No Ven

43 x 25 x 25 cm.

(16 x 9x 9 in.)

Joto de Corazón es

57 x 29 x 20 cm.

(22 x 11 x 8 ")

Where My Heart Is

96 x 65 x 9 cm.

(37 x 26 x 4")

 Where My Heart Is

(Detail) 

Where My Heart Is

(Detail)

Walking Heart Attack

26 x 29 x 16 cm.

(10 x 11 x 6")

Zero or One

71 x 21 x 16 cm.

(28 x 8 x 6")

One little, two little, three little…ouch!

71 x 21 x 16 cm.

(28 x 8 x 6")

Axis

71 x 21 x 16 cm.

(28 x 8 x 6")

Guidance

56 x 40 x 7 cm.

(22 x 16 x 3")