Art Wall: Carlos Amorales

March 27–October 13, 2019

This new commission draws on multiple histories of Mexican muralism, graffiti, and political protest, while reinforcing the importance of social engagement in the present moment.

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Carlos Amorales: Ghost Demonstration, 2019; acrylic on wood panel. Photo: JKA Photography.

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Saturday, September 14, 11:30 AM–1 PM or 1–2:30 PM
Gallery + Studio: Say It! Spray It!

In the spirit of Carlos Amorales’s mural about protest for BAMPFA’s Art Wall, create cutouts of people holding up signs expressing something important that you want to shout out!

BAMPFA

For ages 6 to 12 with accompanying adult(s)
Wednesday, March 27, 6 PM
Artist’s Talk: Carlos Amorales & Apsara DiQuinzio in Conversation

The artist discusses his new Art Wall commission, his techniques, and his work's connections to Mexican muralism, graffiti, and political protest.

BAMPFA

Art Wall: Carlos Amorales

March 27–October 13, 2019

In this new commission for the BAMPFA Art Wall, entitled Ghost Demonstration, Amorales draws from the multiple histories of mural art in Mexico, the political demonstrations that occurred in Berkeley in the 1960s (as well as more recent events), and protests in the United Kingdom in the 1980s. In order to make this monumental mural, the artist used stencils of slogans from Berkeley protest posters as well as fragments from songs by British anarcho-punk bands from the eighties who disavowed Thatcher-era neoliberal policies. These stencils were held up by assistants, whose silhouetted figures are imprinted along the wall. The ghostly outlines of the human figure point to historically significant moments in various times and diverse cultures, while reinforcing the importance of remaining socially and politically engaged in the present, as many of the slogans resonate with the current cultural climate.

Born and...

Born and raised in Mexico City, where he now lives and works, Carlos Amorales studied in Amsterdam for many years and has had numerous residencies across Europe and the United States. As a result of this broad international experience, his interests bridge multiple cultural spheres, and the artist often seeks to interweave aspects of these disparate realms of influence while also highlighting their distinctive vocabularies. Indeed, language and the challenges of communication are abiding interests in his work. Often utilizing sounds, gestures, or symbols, Amorales points to the potential for art to embody new forms of transmission. He works with diverse media—ranging from animation, video, and drawing to large-scale installation and performance—to explore the complex terrain extending between image, sign, and cognition. The act of translation is often at the root of Amorales’s work: musical instruments can transform into animate characters, human figures become ghostly silhouettes, and narratives reassemble into unintelligible actions.

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The Art Wall is commissioned by BAMPFA and made possible with major funding from Frances Hellman and Warren Breslau.

Art Wall: Carlos Amorales

March 27–October 13, 2019

Past Events

Gallery + Studio: Say It! Spray It!

Artist’s Talk: Carlos Amorales & Apsara DiQuinzio in Conversation