Sun Smith-Foret, often associated with massive sculptures, socio-political quilts, and intricate knotted sculpture nests, has taken a turn towards painting. This February we are set to showcase her new paintings. Smith-Foret describes them as- “The paintings are semi-abstract, featuring nature-derived content inspired by my current location immediately adjacent to the Mississippi River in rural Illinois. Still life observation provides another opportunity to delve into strategies of geometry, spatial and value interactions, and altered perspectives on 2D surfaces.

Salvador Jiménez-Flores is a Chicago-based artist and educator who, as a teenager, immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. His body of work is steeped in his experience as a bi-cultural, bilingual artist living “concurrently in two different worlds.” Arte-Sano: Soy libre porque pienso showcases the breadth of his practice through a range of media. His ceramics, glass, metalwork, photography, and prints reflect the artist’s continued exploration of the politics of identity and the state of double consciousness. He also highlights the struggles and complexities of Latinx people living in the U.S.

Rich in symbolism and iconography, Salvador Jiménez-Flores draws upon Afro-Futurism, Funk Ceramics, Robert Arneson’s satiric comedy, and references pre-Columbian traditions and pop culture, to create a world that he calls “Rascquache Futurism.” In the true nature of “rasquachismo,” the concept of making the most of limited resources, Jiménez-Flores attests to his own defiance and inventiveness as an “artesano” (“craftsman”) which is a larger reflection of the resilience of Latinx people.

The exhibition title Arte-Sano:Soy libre porque pienso directly translates to “Craftsman: I am free because I think.” Soy libre porque pienso references the freedom that comes with being able to think for oneself. Including a hyphen in the word “Arte-Sano” Jiménez-Flores creates two words and an expanded meaning “arte” (“art”) and “sano” (“healthy”) revealing his fascination with word play and the power of language.

Salvador Jiménez-Flores is an Assistant Professor in ceramics at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. His work has been included in exhibitions at museums such as the National Museum of Mexican Art, Grand Rapids Art Museum, Urban Institute of Contemporary Art, Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts, the Nerman Museum of Contemporary Art, and Museum of Art and Design. Among his many awards and recognitions, Jiménez-Flores is a recipient of the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant, a Burke Prize finalist, and a 2021 United States Artist Fellow. Currently, Salvador Jiménez-Flores is a member of The Color Network, an organization whose mission is to promote the advancement of people of color in the ceramic arts, and the Institutio Gráfico de Chicago, a socially conscious organization that utilizes printmaking to ignite community engagement in sociopolitical discourse.

Me, the public (you), and a few thousand googly eyes come together for one night (and one night only!) to transform conceptual artist Tj Templeton (me) into a biblically accurate celestial being. The public will be welcome to adorn my person with self-adhesive googly eyes so that I may see all. Art for Art’s sake this First Friday.

Lexitas KC — March First Friday Open Gallery — NEXT WEEK!
During last year, Brush Creek Art Walk celebrated its 12th Anniversary with several event sessions of Outdoor Painting. Over 47 registered artists participated. Some of the resulting 72+ original painting submissions are currently on display at our office/gallery at 1608 Locust in the Crossroads through the end of March. Join us Friday, March 1, 2024, from 5 – 8pm to view beautiful artwork, meet the artists and maybe even purchase one for your collection. More info on BCAW2023 at BCAW2023 (click bars) (bcawfoundation.org).