Rodrigo Valenzuela, American Type N°4, 2018
May 20, 2019
I love the opportunity of looking at this photograph every day at work. Rodrigo's recent pictures are analogous to archaeology: the more carefully you dig, the more you turn up. And the only tools required are a good set of eyes, a strong dose of curiosity, and a lively imagination.
His pictures play tricks on you, and just when you think you have it all figured out, a piece of wire or a stretch of black plaster defies location. Perhaps someone needs to devise a GPS for looking at art. When I told Rodrigo I saw a cat in this print, he looked a bit mystified. A few days later I saw a yoga position I'd just learned, and this morning I saw a dog in mid air, legs widely spread. Go figure.
Playful complexity with mindfulness to labor and confrontation abound in this work, and I invite you to come see these beautiful prints for yourself. In hand-built frames without any glazing, you can enjoy the rich textures he captures, and perhaps even discover your own Noah's Ark.
