Mauricio Cortes Ortega

I am a Mexican-American artist living and working in NYC. I create still-life paintings of anthropomorphic vessels. Soon after becoming a parent, I rediscovered how many stories stem from the natural world. Artists turn to animals, insects, and plants to craft narratives and instill moral values. From the Aztec snake Goddess Coatlicue to Disney’s Mickey Mouse, much of humanity's stories lean on the non-human to characterize the highs and lows of human history.

My process begins with researching existing images of vessels from online and printed sources. I also use AI software to generate base forms. I then combine traditional drawing, collage, and screenprinting techniques to transfer individual vessel images one by one onto the canvas. The process is akin to assembling a puzzle, where each image of a vase or zoomorphic object is carefully analyzed and positioned in relation to others. This method allows for a harmonious yet complex composition, where every element is crucial in constructing the overall narrative. By reimagining history through zoomorphic objects, I aim to breathe new life into the still life genre, transforming it into a dynamic and storytelling medium.

Yale School of Art, MFA
Cooper Union, BFA

SELECT EXHIBITIONS
2023 SOMOS/WE ARE: Latinx Artists of Long Island, Long Island Museum
2022 Letters of a Compass, Abrazo Gallery, The Clemente, NYC
Bronx Calling: Fifth AIM Biennial, NYC
2021 Inhabited Mindscapes, Front Art Space, NYC You Enter Dancing / There’s Always Sign, The Clemente Studio 406, NYC
2020 From Orozco to Orozco, Whitebox Harlem Gallery, NYC
Latinx Exchanges, LAZO, NYC
2019 Mueller Gallery, Caldwell University, NJ (Solo)
2019 Bien Vivir, Mexic-Arte Museum, Austin, TX
Analemma, Loisada Center, NYC
Supported at its Ends—Hanging by its Weight, Loisada Center, NYC
2018 Model Redux, Bronx Art Space, Bronx, NY
Ojalá, WOTY, Hunter East Harlem Gallery, NYC
Internalized Borders, John Jay College, NYC
2017 Reconstruir Mexico, co-curator, 41 Cooper Sq Gallery, NYC
Broad Stripes, Brandford House Yale, New Haven, CT
1st Year Anniversary, La Maison d’Art, NYC
Lost in the World, Mulherin, New York, NYC
Broad Stripes and Bright Stars, Ely Center, New Haven, CT
Old Glory, Mulherin, New York, NYC
Illegal Fashion Exhibition, White Box, New York, NYC
2016 Of Another, Silk Road Gallery, New Haven, CT (Solo)
Practice Makes Practice, Mulherin, NYC
Partners, Abrons Art Center, NYC
All Arts Mega Mixer Salon, Afro-A...