La Loteria: Joseph Velasquez
On View: January 27th - February 18th
Printmaker Joseph Velasquez will be exhibiting works from his series of prints inspired by the images of the Mexican card game, Loteria. The game is a cultural icon amongst Chicanos. The game commonly known as "Mexican Bingo" features a series of iconic numbered images. In Loteria, the juxtaposition of the images to one another can change their meaning. Velasquez recontextualizes images and figures from American popular culture by couching them in the language and graphic influence of Loteria, and approaching the work with the care and commitment which characterize Velasquez's work as a true printmaker's printmaker.
Joseph Velasquez is a Chicano artist and an Assistant Professor of Printmaking at Florida Atlantic University. Velasquez grew up moving around the Southwest with his father, attending over 22 public schools before graduating High School. His work is heavily influenced by the murals, graffiti tags, placasos and tinta resonate that he encountered in San Fernando, CA, El Paso, TX and Austin, TX. He has been published by Cannonball Press (Brooklyn, NY), and has exhibited nationally and internationally including the 54th La Biennale di Venezia, (Venice, Italy). He is the co-founder of both the Dirty Printmakers of America and of Drive By Press, a mobile print studio and print exhibition that has focused on engaging the public with contemporary printmaking practices. Drive By Press has also toured with Indie bands such as SPOON, the Walkmen and the White Rabbits, printing hand carved woodblocks on tees during their performances. With Drive By Press, Joseph Velasquez has covered over 200,000 miles and created hundreds of new fans and followers of print visiting over 200 College campuses. Joseph received his MA & MFA from the University of Wisconsin - Madison, and his BA & BFA from the University of Mary- Hardin Baylor, Texas.