Unsettled Identities Curated by Duvian Montoya
July 25 - September 13, 2015
Reception, Saturday July 25th from 2pm to 5pm
Mattatuck Museum, 144 West Main St., Waterbury, CT.
My first exhibit as curator at a a prestiges museum...and I'm thrilled
This exhibit brings a wide range of artists into a conversation about their identities and the daily influences on their works, that act as a visual journal of emotions and/or beliefs. These entries are historical markers for the artists life but in some cases chronicling transformative events in history. By exhibiting an earlier artwork in contrast to a present one we can see the influences of life, mortality, beauty, religion, history, politics, family and yes the internet. Through this exploration I hope to engage a diverse number of people into a conversation about identity and the ever changing sense of self.
-Duvian Montoya
Museum info at http://www.mattatuckmuseum.org/changing
My new piece "Created Pages" for "Unsettled Identity"
On a canvas that is the shape of an “app” on your phone I reference catalog pages that have used letters to identified objects of desire to represent the commodification of ourselves on our “created pages” of social media. Our glamorized self, which only lives on the internet and is void of true human characteristics (hence the natural elements being void and blank) is then monetized with likes, followers and “friends” that corporations then buy to turn our brand into a platform for their own goods and services. Through various scientific studies its been proven that these new brands of self form a false understanding of who we are and generate a sense of jealousy, hatred and envy in those that view them. Without real human interactions we risk the loss of true friendship and rely more on a matrix of misconceptions and false relationships by living behind a screen and/or app.
Other exhibiting artists are: Jamison Banks, Amy Bilden, Vincent Calenzo and Jahmane West
Jamison Chas Banks "This is America"
Amy Bilden "Consequences"
Vincent Calenzo "Garden"
Jahmane West "Cracktonite"
Make sure to see this exhibit!