Growing up in El Salvador during their civil war from 1979-1992 affected artist Osvaldo Ramirez Castillo, in ways that are just taking shape in his work.
“A lot of my work is a result of growing up in El Salvador,” said Castillo, setting up his exhibit “Mad Soldiers” at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, for the grand opening, Jan. 15.
He has been setting up the display for a week, and will be leaving for home right after the grand opening.
He immigrated to Toronto with his family in the ’80s midway through the war, after graduating high school, he earned degrees from the Ontario College of Art and Design, then his MFA at Concordia University in Montreal, where he now calls home.
“My work tells stories,” Castillo said noting the mostly ink on paper drawings combines a variety of traditional El Salvadoran indigenous people’s mythical images as well as wartime imagery.
“ A lot of the work is very personal and a lot of it is inspired by pre-colonial El Salvadoran mythology. They are personal works and I’ve always been interested in history. Most of them are stories that have been passed down orally through history,” Castillo continued, a draftsman by trade who naturally embraced pen and ink as his primary artistic medium.
“I work in mixed medium as well— on mylar, a kind of plastic paper. I also work in acrylics and ink, and coffee and tea— anything that leaves a stain on the paper,” he continued adding he prepared for this exhibition, so all of the works on display were created just for this exhibition, which runs from the opening gala, Saturday until March 6, after which it will be displayed back home in Montreal.
“I feel like I’ve been given a wonderful opportunity to explore these images,” he said adding in addition to the paintings and drawings on the second floor, he also has a stop-animation exhibit featuring similar imagery on the main floor.
“This will be the first time I’ve done stop animation,” he said adding this is also his first time exhibiting in Lethbridge.
Kelly Richardson is also opening her more science fiction inspired exhibit “The Erudition” at the Southern Alberta Art Gallery, Jan. 15 as well. The exhbits both open at 8 p.m. with a walk through and artists’ remarks.
