354: George Rodriguez on sculpture, personal identity, and community building
Today on the Tales of a Red Clay Rambler Podcast I have an interview with George Rodriguez. He creates ceramic sculptures decorated with vibrant low relief patterns that explore themes of personal identity and community building. In our interview we talk about the influence of the Bonderman Travel Fellowship, which funded his travel to twenty-six countries, and how this shaped his understanding of culture. We also discuss the logistics of building large ceramic sculpture, how adornment can initiate sacred space, and his exhibition La Flor, El Nicho, y sus Memorias (pictured above), which was recently on display at the Clay Studio in Philadelphia, PA . To see examples of George’s work visit www.georgerodriguez.net.
In this week’s interview we discuss the ability of large scale objects to convey power and awe in the viewer. Above you see George standing beside two nine foot sculptures Tia Catrina and Uncle Sam from a 2017 exhibition Where is Our Exile at the University of Texas, El Paso. Beyond the conceptual punch of working large we also talk about the practical side of building at this scale. The weight of the forms necessitates a specific way of moving the objects into a kiln. Below you see George loading a kiln of Guardians with the help of his students at the Tyler School of Art, where he is currently an artist in residence. The work pictured was featured in the exhibition Urban Guardians at Foster White Gallery.
