We are thrilled to announce that the San Juan Islands Museum of Art (SJIMA) is now featuring El Zodíaco Familiar, an exhibition by ceramic artist and sculptor George Rodriguez. On view in the Atrium through May 29, 2023, this exhibition showcases the latest iteration of Rodriguez's Mexican Zodiac series.
George Rodriguez: El Zodíaco Familiar on view in the Atrium.
For this exhibition, Rodriguez collaborated with 13 Mexican and Chicanx/Chicana artists, each representing a zodiac animal corresponding to their birth year. The artists, each with their own unique artistic background and approach, responded to Rodriguez's animal sculptures with their own forms, tools, and aesthetics. The resulting sculptures are imbued with personal perspective, folk tradition, and an intimate feeling of celebration.
Born and raised in the border city of El Paso, TX, George Rodriguez creates highly ornamented, figurative ceramic sculptures, often underlined by a connection to the sociopolitical issues the artist explores. Rodriguez holds a BFA from the University of Texas, El Paso, TX; and an MFA in ceramics from the University of Washington, Seattle, WA. His world curiosity grew as a recipient of a Bonderman Travel Fellowship where he traveled the world through most of 2010.
His work has been shown at Bainbridge Island Museum of Art, Bainbridge Island, WA; Whatcom Museum, Bellingham, WA; Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA; the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University, Salem, OR; Canton Art Museum, Canton, OH, and others. His sculptures are part of the collections of the National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, IL; the University of Washington's Paul G. Allen College of Computer Science and Engineering, Seattle, WA; and the Hallie Ford Museum of Art at Willamette University, Salem, OR; among others. Most recently, Rodriguez's piece Mexican American Gothic was added to the collection at the Renwick Gallery of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, and Seven Indulgences was added to the collection of the National Museum in Stockholm Sweden. George is represented by Foster/White Gallery in Seattle, WA.
Don't miss the chance to hear directly from George Rodriguez himself! He will be giving an artist talk at the Mullis center on Saturday, April 1, at 2:00 PM. This is a wonderful opportunity to learn more about the inspiration behind El Zodíaco Familiar and to hear about the collaborative process with the participating artists.