Looking for a Hero or Whips, Whims and Wigs: A Chat With Gerardo Rosales

This article is published concurrently with the Spring of Latino Art and the Latino Art Now! (LAN) national biennial conference and related programming taking place in Houston during the springtime of 2019.

Lauren Moya Ford: Your bio says that you started as a self-taught artist in Venezuela before studying art in Caracas and later in London. What was your initial entry point into art making? How do your roots impact the work you do today?

Gerardo Rosales: I grew up in San Cristóbal, [in the] Táchira state which is at the foothills of the Andes in Venezuela. This is an area abounded with beautiful natural surroundings and rich in popular traditions and folk art. I was fascinated with the artwork produced by the local folk artists because of the rich colors, patterns and the strong sense of community. Inspired by these works I began producing paintings and ceramics that showed the nature and everyday life of the city….