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Oscar Lopez - Painter
Welcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area.
In this week's episode, Emily interviews painter and muralist Oscar Lopez. Oscar shares his journey from growing up in Mexico City, where graffiti first introduced him to art, to becoming an established artist in California. He talks about his murals honoring farm workers, his shift from computer science to art, and the challenges he faced as a minority artist. Oscar also discusses the importance of believing in oneself and the struggle with self-identity as an artist. His works are currently displayed at the Institute of Contemporary Art in San Jose and Fort Mason in San Francisco.
About Artist Oscar Lopez in His Own Words:
I am visual artist born and raised in Mexico City, where I first came into contact of the art world in the Graffiti urban art scene. After immigrating to the USA to San Francisco, Bay area (Silicon Valley), focusing on trying to understand our complex society through a Mexican immigrant’s lens in the USA. As a Mexican native who has being affected by the influence and the interruption of my culture by international immigrants and trends of imperialistic organizations. I use a critical eye to engage with the globalization, imperialism, and capitalism that affect every corner of the two nations that share my soul. My concerns are reflected in a dialogue of the Stockholm syndrome symptoms created by the oppression and discrimination of imperialistic orders. In both sides of the border this is having a bigger impact in minorities, people of color and the workers that hold entire nations that also suffer of social and cultural amnesia. In order to survive in these societies built on the foundations of white supremacy and colonialism our ancestors have been forced for generations to either hide, directly confront, or sympathize with our oppressors, resulting in a mass forgetting of cultural and social practices. As our cultural identity and practices have been suppressed we have become hostages in our own homeland. Our collective social and culture amnesia continues to affect people of color on both sides of the border.
The globalization of multicultural problems such as classism, racism, and inequality affect the social and psychological side of humanity. Since we so easily forget where we come from as individuals, as an artist I choose to remember, honor, and reclaim those roots and rights. Multicultural problems affect how we see ourselves in comparison to others, in a disengagement with our history, and in a loss of our customs. Even the color of our skin is a source of contention. These problems are intangible, invisible for many. As an artist, I want to create tangible images that reflect our psychological symptoms and demand us to confront our submission to the powers that hold us.
Visit Oscar's Website: ArtByOscarLopez.com
Follow on Instagram: @OscarLopezArt
For more on his mural at Fort Mason, CLICK HERE.
For more on his mural at the ICA San Jose, CLICK HERE.
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About Podcast Host Emily Wilson:
Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women’s Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco.
Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil
Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast
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CREDITS:
Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson.
Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions.
For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com
View all episodes
By Emily Wilson with Go-To ProductionsWelcome to Art is Awesome, the show where we talk with an artist or art worker with a connection to the San Francisco Bay Area.
In this week's episode, Emily interviews painter and muralist Oscar Lopez. Oscar shares his journey from growing up in Mexico City, where graffiti first introduced him to art, to becoming an established artist in California. He talks about his murals honoring farm workers, his shift from computer science to art, and the challenges he faced as a minority artist. Oscar also discusses the importance of believing in oneself and the struggle with self-identity as an artist. His works are currently displayed at the Institute of Contemporary Art in San Jose and Fort Mason in San Francisco.
About Artist Oscar Lopez in His Own Words:
I am visual artist born and raised in Mexico City, where I first came into contact of the art world in the Graffiti urban art scene. After immigrating to the USA to San Francisco, Bay area (Silicon Valley), focusing on trying to understand our complex society through a Mexican immigrant’s lens in the USA. As a Mexican native who has being affected by the influence and the interruption of my culture by international immigrants and trends of imperialistic organizations. I use a critical eye to engage with the globalization, imperialism, and capitalism that affect every corner of the two nations that share my soul. My concerns are reflected in a dialogue of the Stockholm syndrome symptoms created by the oppression and discrimination of imperialistic orders. In both sides of the border this is having a bigger impact in minorities, people of color and the workers that hold entire nations that also suffer of social and cultural amnesia. In order to survive in these societies built on the foundations of white supremacy and colonialism our ancestors have been forced for generations to either hide, directly confront, or sympathize with our oppressors, resulting in a mass forgetting of cultural and social practices. As our cultural identity and practices have been suppressed we have become hostages in our own homeland. Our collective social and culture amnesia continues to affect people of color on both sides of the border.
The globalization of multicultural problems such as classism, racism, and inequality affect the social and psychological side of humanity. Since we so easily forget where we come from as individuals, as an artist I choose to remember, honor, and reclaim those roots and rights. Multicultural problems affect how we see ourselves in comparison to others, in a disengagement with our history, and in a loss of our customs. Even the color of our skin is a source of contention. These problems are intangible, invisible for many. As an artist, I want to create tangible images that reflect our psychological symptoms and demand us to confront our submission to the powers that hold us.
Visit Oscar's Website: ArtByOscarLopez.com
Follow on Instagram: @OscarLopezArt
For more on his mural at Fort Mason, CLICK HERE.
For more on his mural at the ICA San Jose, CLICK HERE.
--
About Podcast Host Emily Wilson:
Emily a writer in San Francisco, with work in outlets including Hyperallergic, Artforum, 48 Hills, the Daily Beast, California Magazine, Latino USA, and Women’s Media Center. She often writes about the arts. For years, she taught adults getting their high school diplomas at City College of San Francisco.
Follow Emily on Instagram: @PureEWil
Follow Art Is Awesome on Instagram: @ArtIsAwesome_Podcast
--
CREDITS:
Art Is Awesome is Hosted, Created & Executive Produced by Emily Wilson.
Theme Music "Loopster" Courtesy of Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 4.0 License
The Podcast is Co-Produced, Developed & Edited by Charlene Goto of @GoToProductions.
For more info, visit Go-ToProductions.com