Jose Camacho - How to Speak Puerto Rican June 6, 2011

Jose Camacho – How to Speak Puerto Rican
Monday June 6th – Thursday July 21st, 2011
Opening Reception:
Thursday, June 9 – 5pm to 9pm

The Walsh Gallery at Seton Hall University is pleased to present How to Speak Puerto Rican, a solo exhibition featuring artist Jose Camacho. Camacho was born and raised in Puerto Rico, and moved to America as a young adult in the 1980’s. These dual perspectives influence Camacho’s artwork, revealing a romantic, yet candid outlook on both cultures. Identity politics play a large part in his creative arsenal, which draws upon such influences as Puerto Rican folk music, Spanish classical literature, modernist painting and American pop culture. The artworks on view include painting, mixed media and sculpture.

Curator Jeanne Brasile notes that while Jose’s message is strongly informed by his Puerto Rican heritage, “I am also drawn to his use of materials and his process. Jose’s interest in surface and texture is apparent in his many paintings and drawings, which typically consist of layered materials such as paint, paper and graphite.” Process-wise, Camacho’s approach is laborious, and he’ll often re-work his art over a period of years, adding and/or subtracting layers to achieve the desired effect. The exhibition will be accompanied by a full-color catalogue with an essay by art historian Niria Leyva-Gutierrez. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday, 10:30am to 4:30pm. Admission is free and open to the public.