ARMANDO SEBASTIAN: THE GARDEN OF GOOD AND EVIL

Armando Sebastian: The Garden of Good and Evil – Curated by Viola Delgado
Exhibition Dates – January 30 – March 4 2018
Opening Reception – Saturday, February 3 2018, 2-5:30 pm – Guest Speaker: Priscilla Rice

My first time traveling outside my home town was a trip to Mexico City, I was 5 years old but I can still remember it very clearly. I remember Teotihuacan and its two pyramids of the Sun and the Moon, it had stone carvings of snakes and humans all over the place, people praying, people picnicking, people selling all kinds of things such as calacas, little Dioses (Aztec Idols), hats, Mexican candies, even elotes. I remember the magnificence of The Cathedral, its smell of old wood, the silence, the sense of the reverence and devotion, and the beauty of the saints and angels in the retablo of the central altar.

I also remember the Grand Zocalo, the Alameda Central, and all the wonderful structures built by Mexican hands. The amazing architecture stirred my imagination while I drove around the city in my grandpa’s old truck listening to the music of Los Panchos, Edie Gorme and Julio Jaramillo. This was an enchanting world to me, a world equally influenced by the cultures of the Aztec Kingdom and the Españoles of the Viejo Mundo.

Once when we were walking in downtown Mexico City I felt a mysterious presence in the air. I remember being so excited because my mom was always telling me tales about everything, even when I knew that she was probably just making it up. However, I think her stories and my emotional connections to Mexico stimulated my imagination. All of these things made me fall in love with my culture and the ancient Mexico.

My Art is inspired by Mexican folk-art, religious images and 18th century art. My work includes references to poets, music icons, and symbols amid vibrant landscapes. These dreamlike landscapes disconnect me from reality and the material world.