“Tu Amor es un Tornado” (Your love is a Tornado) is an exhibition that deals with the
theme of love and healing set to the stage of Texas Mexico Border.
I was raised in El Paso, Texas, which borders Las Cruces, New Mexico and Juarez,
Mexico. There I was surrounded by a mix of romanticism for the American landscape
and the hybridization of Mexican, American, and indigenous cultures. Images that have
cultural, biographical, and art historical references are carved into the surface of the
painting.
My most recent body of work explores the violence on the border between the United
States of America and Mexico, the escalating drug and gang wars that plague the entire
border region. The work breaks down into two loose categories, love and healing set
against the political backdrop of drug violence, border fences, and the communities
caught in between. Text, in the form of original song lyrics, is carved and/or added to the
titles to draw further connection to a Western aesthetic and the tradition of Tejano and
country music, music laden with themes of unrequited, sentimental love, as well as
passionate, explosive love.
Healing is explored through themes associated with traditional healers, curanderos or
roadmen. Roadmen perform blessings, heal the infirm, and even act as marriage
counselors for Mexican communities. Roadmen aid in the healing of the individual as
well as communities held hostage by drug violence. Our border is in dire need of this
healing. “Tu Amor es un Tornado” will included 10-12 painting between the sizes of
48”x48”-24”x24” and 8-10 burned drawing on Arches Archival Paper 20”x30”.
All of the work for this exhibition has not been documented. This work has never been
exhibited in the Houston area. This project will be entirely self-funded.
Thank you for your consideration,
Ricky Armendariz
403 Irvington Dr.
San Antonio, TX, 78209
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