Con Ajo Y Baroque

Images: 

Julia Barbosa Landois, Curtain - a site-specific meditative space, 2009, various, including garlic, piloncillo, yarn, paper, ste

Exploring cultural identity is a constant journey in a country that thrives on labels.  These labels tend to serve a simultaneous clash of oppressive and progressive behaviors.  The work in Con Ajo Y Baroque is to be viewed as a whole.  It draws from a mutual kinship amongst two artists that may be considered the under the label of Mexican American.  Julia Barbosa Landois and Beto Gonzalez use nostalgia from childhood, familiar ritual, religious oppression, middle class tension and iconic imagery in the work for Con Ajo Y Baroque.  Julia and Beto combine their backgrounds growing up in San Antonio with the academic artistic knowledge of Western art and culture learned throughout their experiences and studies.   The idea behind Con Ajo Y Baroque is to push the boundaries of identity-based art into the realm of social critique and contemporary expression.