Emersión
LeRoy Neiman Gallery
Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
April 3rd - April 23rd, 2025
Columbia University, New York, N.Y.
April 3rd - April 23rd, 2025
Emersión is a reflection on the evolving nature of artistic creation, tracing my journey from being a student at Columbia to stepping into the world as an artist. It is a meditation on the influences I carry—some visible, others embedded in
the process itself—shaped by mentors both within and beyond the university.
Thomas Vu’s use of vibrant color and dynamic composition, along with his experimental approach to printmaking, has expanded my relationship with materials and process. From Sarah Oppenheimer, I’ve gained a deeper sensitivity to spatial intervention— how structures shape perception, movement, and orientation. Arlene Shechet deepened my understanding of surrendering to materials, showing me how tactility, balance, and unpredictability can drive form, allowing objects and surfaces to emerge through an ongoing dialogue rather than strict control. Sarah Sze’s boundary-pushing practice has instilled in me an openness to exploration, the fluidity between mediums, and a heightened awareness of impermanence and time. The influence of Rirkrit Tiravanija, though less directly apparent, lingers in the idea of art as a living process rather than a fixed object.
These perspectives, among many others, have subtly yet profoundly shifted my approach. This exhibition is not only a presentation of work but a testament to the ongoing evolution of practice; an emergence shaped by those who have guided, challenged, and expanded my way of making and thinking.
the process itself—shaped by mentors both within and beyond the university.
Thomas Vu’s use of vibrant color and dynamic composition, along with his experimental approach to printmaking, has expanded my relationship with materials and process. From Sarah Oppenheimer, I’ve gained a deeper sensitivity to spatial intervention— how structures shape perception, movement, and orientation. Arlene Shechet deepened my understanding of surrendering to materials, showing me how tactility, balance, and unpredictability can drive form, allowing objects and surfaces to emerge through an ongoing dialogue rather than strict control. Sarah Sze’s boundary-pushing practice has instilled in me an openness to exploration, the fluidity between mediums, and a heightened awareness of impermanence and time. The influence of Rirkrit Tiravanija, though less directly apparent, lingers in the idea of art as a living process rather than a fixed object.
These perspectives, among many others, have subtly yet profoundly shifted my approach. This exhibition is not only a presentation of work but a testament to the ongoing evolution of practice; an emergence shaped by those who have guided, challenged, and expanded my way of making and thinking.
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Exhibition photos
At the heart of my practice is an embrace of process as an open-ended act of transformation. Layers build, marks emerge and disappear, and surfaces shift in an ongoing negotiation between intention and unpredictability. Saturation and density create depth, gestures accumulate, collapse, and reconfigure, resisting resolution. Rooted in the traditions of Process Art and Abstract Expressionism, the work thrives within a state of flux, where every addition and revision leaves a trace, embedding history within the surface.
The work unfolds through a dynamic interplay of actions where structure and disorder coexist. The process mirrors the principles of chaos theory: an evolving system in which small interventions generate cascading effects, altering the trajectory of the piece. What appears spontaneous gradually reveals an underlying rhythm, forms echo across compositions, and seemingly arbitrary gestures find unexpected cohesion. The work does not seek order, nor does it embrace disorder—it operates in the tension between the two, allowing meaning to emerge in the act of making. Growing up in Venezuela, I was immersed in the bold visual language of modernist abstraction. The works of Jesus Rafael Soto, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Alejandro Otero, and Gego shaped my understanding of color, movement, space, and perception. At the same time, life in Caracas—marked by resilience and improvisation—instilled in me a resourcefulness that now translates into my practice. Living in New York, I engage with the city’s dynamism, abundance, and artistic networks, further influencing my approach. Like these cities, my work embraces the beauty of disorder. Chaos and structure intertwine, echoing the interplay of unpredictability and hidden systems. Materiality is central to this exploration. Through leaning structures, suspended forms, and dimensional interventions, that seek to invite the viewer to navigate space, challenging their perception and sense of orientation. The interplay between chance and intention, presence and absence, underscores the ephemeral nature of the work where meaning emerges through process and interaction. Emersión is not simply a body of work but a meditation on my artistic process, tracing my journey from deep immersion as a student to my emergence as an artist. Layered within these works are the tangible and conceptual influences from mentors who have shaped my artistic practice. From Thomas Vu, I’ve absorbed a bold engagement with color and composition, along with an experimental attitude toward printmaking that has deepened my relationship with materials and process. Sarah Oppenheimer’s work has sharpened my sensitivity to space—how structures define perception, movement, and orientation. Arlene Shechet has taught me to embrace tactility and surrender to materials, allowing form to emerge through an open dialogue rather than strict control. Sarah Sze’s expansive practice has instilled in me a fluidity between mediums, an openness to discovery, and a heightened awareness of impermanence and time. And though less directly apparent, the influence of Rirkrit Tiravanija lingers in my understanding of art as a living process rather than a fixed object. This body of work is a reflection of the ongoing evolution of my practice—an emergence shaped by those who have guided, challenged, and expanded my way of making and thinking. |
