Presa House Gallery, San Antonio, TX
Fernando Andrade (b. 1987) was born in the border town of Acuña, MX, and relocated to San Antonio, TX, at the age of seven. As an artist, Andrade works in two distinct bodies of work: representational drawings and abstract paintings. In his drawings, simple narratives are created by using figures and objects to explore current sociopolitical events or personal family stories, as portrayed in the series La Patria.
In contrast, his abstract paintings are improvised and organic colorful compositions. He views the process as therapeutic, allowing himself to imagine space, arrangement, and rhythmic affinities, which to him celebrate life itself.
Transitions: Line and Color was inspired by Malcolm Gladwell’s book Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking, and the theory that “There can be as much value in the blink of an eye as in months of rational analysis.” In this exhibition, Andrade shares his process with the viewer, giving a glimpse of the conversations that take place in his daily studio practice. As Andrade explains,
I believe that doubt is always in the back of our minds; one can argue more so in the creative process. Sometimes it is just a matter of putting the pieces together and working through a set of problems. I’m interested in letting the subconscious lead to concepts that will fully evolve in time.
Being open to working with colorful abstract paintings, graphite on spam mail envelopes, or even stitching on paper help Andrade discover and explore new concepts but, most importantly, stay actively connected to what he values most, the freedom to create.
Andrade was a recent recipient of the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures individual artist grant in 2018. He has exhibited his work in numerous group and solo shows locally and nationally including exhibitions at (Solo) Peter’s Project Gallery, Santa Fe, NM; (Solo) Blue Star Contemporary, San Antonio, TX; (Group) Meadows Museum of Art, Shreveport, LA; (Group) Southwest School of Art, San Antonio, TX. Andrade has attended residencies at the Vermont Studio Center, and Eleverte Community Studio in Chicago, IL.
About Presa House Gallery
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Launched in October of 2016, Presa House is an artist-run gallery that hosts monthly art exhibitions with a commitment to provide space for emerging and mid-career artists to experiment freely, express innovative ideas, and engage with a diverse audience. Presa House is an event-driven gallery that promotes an eclectic range of local, national and international artists
The gallery is an 1,306 sq. ft home built in the 1940’s in San Antonio’s historic Lavaca district. Headed by artist/designer, and gallery curator Rigoberto Luna and photographer/artist Jenelle Esparza. Together, Esparza and Luna host a variety of themed group shows and guest-curated exhibitions. Beyond the visual arts, they host local and touring musical acts DJ’s, poetry events, innovative performances, film screenings and more.
Presa House makes a concerted effort to be inclusive and non-discriminatory to ensure a true representation of the cultural diversity and social fabric of San Antonio. As a well-established venue, Presa House feels a responsibility in the current political climate to give voice to Latinx artists; not only in San Antonio where the population is 63.2% Hispanic or Latinx, but across the South Texas/Rio Grande region and Mexico.
Jenelle Esparza was born and raised in Corpus Christi, Texas, and is a successful studio artist and a team member of the education department at the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio.
Born and raised in San Antonio, Rigoberto Luna works as a independent designer, consultant, and curator throughout the city. His most notable clients include the City’s Department for Culture & Creative Development and Public Art San Antonio.
