Thesis Exhibition: April 10-13, 2013

Opening Reception: April 12, 6-8pm

Painkiller
Mixed Media, 11.5" x 4" x 4", 2012

Pair
Mixed Media, 55" x 37" x 17", 2012

Since my arrival to America I have been excited by the architecture of its giant cities. The elongated verticals shapes, the water towers and chimneys have had an impact on my eye and in my work.This exciting urban geometry has become integrated with the botanical and human imagery of my rural homeland.I explore these forms to decompose and reinterpret as I look for new possibilities for expression.I try to create hybrids shapes by incorporatingcomponents of real objects, multiplematerials, biographical imaginary, myth and my imagination.

My sculptures are abstract figurative. I work intuitively while adopting a meditative problem solving approach to the reinvention of forms. There are stories and designs in the works which are meaningful to me but the viewer should derive their own meaning from their own personal experience.

Aware of the interrelatedness of all life, I create my sculptures usingeverything I see and remember. Complexity excites me and in the future I am interested in combining more social and political elements into my work .

I envision my work in 500 years as historical artifacts of our civilization. Zeitgeist, the spirit of our times.

More information about Jose Arias available at http://joseariasceramics.com/