LOPEZ, ALBERT JR. - 2015 - Laserfiche WebLink

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hind foot wedged into an orange bucket. In such works, the notion of bi- cultural identity is half- submerged, expressed not in any unease the subject is feeling, but in our own discomfort at witnessing his partial transformation from a common pack animal into an exotic and endangered breed. In the group of paintings that Mr. Lopez intends to complete with the grant's assistance, he is more closely referencing his own Santa Ana childhood, and the semi - magical role assumed by popsicles in the imagination of children playing in summertime. But while the importance Lopez places on the image of the Bomb Pop resonates initially from a nostalgic perspective, it is both personal and somehow community - based. Symbols of instant gratification, they link viewers of a broad range of backgrounds, simply because their universality as a symbol of joy seems so atypical of much contemporary art. Among the other positive features of this application is the fact that Mr, Lopez clearly has a precise destination for these works, which will give him a new opportunity to explore ideas that have been important to him since his earliest days as an artist. As one of Santa Ana's most respected native sons within the artistic community, Mr. Lopez seems to me to be the ideal case of an artist who is both local and national in his goal of providing potential viewers outside the range of most art museums with a project whose fulfillment will afford a rare opportunity to experience contemporary art without even being aware of it! In summary, I would give Albert Lopez Jr. my strongest possible recommendation for this grant, and am more than happy to answer any further inquiries you might have on the subject, either by phone or correspondence. Respectfully submitted, Dan Cameron