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Mexico
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12 x 9 in ($40)
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This painting, the canvas of which measures 47 1/4 x 63 in. (120 x 160 cm.), presents an invented mise-en-scene of various figures from the Guadalajara cultural scene at the time it was painted (2001): the then Minister of Culture for the state of Jalisco, his charge d'affairs for visual arts exhibition spaces, and a private gallery owner who had finagled a deal to exhibit his personal collection of African sculpture in the two main galleries of one of the city's principal state-run venues for art exhibitions (the deal enabled him to use the public exhibition space as an extension of his gallery, selling the exhibited works and replacing them, whenever sold, with works of "equal or greater value"). Also shown is one of the state radio station's major cultural commentators, who has had a long-running daily program that uncritically presents supposedly education programs on cultural topics. The scene presents a typically racist reaction to one of the flesh-and-blood descendants of the Africans whose sculptures were being exhibited in the galleries in front of which the figures are shown walking. Guadalajara is not known for having any significant population of African descent...and the skin-color prejudice that is endemic in the culture there (and, in fact, in many parts of Latin America) has been referred to as a kind of "pigmentocracy," in which lighter skin color is one of the keys to getting ahead in life. You can sell African art to other light-skinned art collectors, but just don't be seen actually talking to a dark skinned human being. This painting was included in a national juried biennial exhibition at the museum of contemporary art in Morelia, Michoacán in Mexico. The gallery owner --from Guadalajara-- traveled to the neighboring state of Michoacán to see the exhibition in the company of an artist colleague who related the anecdote to me. I asked him if the gallery owner "got a kick out of seeing my painting," to which he replied, "errr, no, I wouldn't exactly put it that way."
Print:Giclee on Fine Art Paper
Size:12 W x 9 H x 0.1 D in
Size with Frame:17.25 W x 14.25 H x 1.2 D in
Frame:White
Ready to Hang:Yes
Packaging:Ships in a Box
Delivery Time:Typically 5-7 business days for domestic shipments, 10-14 business days for international shipments.
Handling:Ships in a box. Art prints are packaged and shipped by our printing partner.
Ships From:Printing facility in California.
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Mexico
Dale Kaplan (b. 1956) grew up in a rural town near Boston MA, attending public schools, and later studied at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn NY and Cornell University in Ithaca NY (BFA ‘81). He was awarded the MCC (Massachusetts Cultural Council) Artist’s Grant in 2000, in recognition of artistic excellence in Painting. In the late 1980s he established a studio in Guadalajara and has divided his life and work between Mexico and the U.S. ever since. Exhibiting professionally in both countries, as well as in Canada, his works are in numerous private collections. Also active as an art critic, essayist and translator, since 1999 Kaplan has published original writing in several Spanish-language newspapers, magazines and online sites, and has various book credits as a translator. His texts, photographic essays, and reproductions of his paintings and graphic works, have appeared in numerous publications, as well as on book and CD covers, and his work has been included in historical exhibitions and published anthologies focused on the art produced in the Mexican state of Jalisco. In both imagery and texts, Kaplan’s work takes to heart Noam Chomsky’s definition of the responsibility of the intellectual: “to tell the truth and expose lies.” ______________________________________ARTIST'S STATEMENT_________________________ The driving force behind my artmaking is the conviction that painting has as much or more potential for intellectual expression as that which is generally attributed only to verbal language. My interest in critical thought about sociocultural, political, and power relationships, as well as in occasionally using satire and art-historical references to take some air out of the overblown types who rule with a "whim of iron"—are essentially the same as they were before coming to Mexico, and my frequent forays into language play and playing with imagery are the kinds of play I take seriously. In Mexico, though, like on the African plains, one plays, like small game, with one eye out for large predators who are always lurking just off to the side. Journalism can be a most dangerous game in this country, as can be practicing social critique or just openly expressing one's honest opinion. In life, risks must be taken, though, despite dubious "risk-reward" ratios. Many of my works have a backstory related to in-depth research on topics of concern to me, sometimes utilizing investigative techniques such as Freedom of Information requests.
Artist featured by Saatchi Art in a collection
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