THE HOME I NEVER KNEW: NI DE AQUÍ, NI DE ALLÁ
June 7 - November 1, 2024
Greenville Museum of Art | West Wing & Commons Galleries
Ambiorix Santos
“…life always has the possibility of being better, simple and joyful.”
Memories of My 9 to 5
2023
sawdust, plastic, brown paper, carton paper, saco, tapes, spray paint and oil on canvas
ARTIST STATEMENT
I base my work on the experiences surrounding me, on everyday found objects. My interest in art is rooted in and evolves from this sense of wonder, adding simple yet profound dimension to matter. I look to bring life to the ineffable by developing new spaces, structures, and visual possibilities. My process begins with organizing my thoughts and ideas, losing myself in memories, and reminiscing. This self-reflection helps inspire and guide my selection of the elements and materials. I integrate form and light in order to establish a dialogue between the physical and the possible. My work provides closer reflection on the mark left by the consequences of the action. Through my work, I spark life in these inert materials, discover their secrets, and revive the collective memory they contain to compose a likeness of the society and of the era.
DECLARACIÓN DEL ARTISTA
Baso mi obra en las experiencias que me rodean, en objetos que encuentro todos los días. Mi interés en el arte está arraigado en un sentido de asombro, que añade una dimensión a la materia sencilla pero profunda. Busco dar vida a lo inefable al desarrollar espacios, estructuras y posibilidades visuales nuevos. Mi proceso inicia al organizar mis pensamientos e ideas, al perderme en recuerdos y reminiscencia. Esta autorreflexión ayuda a inspirar y guiar mi selección de elementos y materiales. Integro forma y luz para poder establecer un diálogo entre lo físico y lo posible. Mi obra produce una reflexión más precisa sobre la marca que dejan las consecuencias de la acción. A través de mi obra, doy vida a estos materiales inertes, descubro sus secretos y revivo la memoria colectiva que contienen para componer una semejanza de la sociedad y de la época.
INTERVIEW WITH THE ARTIST | ENTREVISTA CON LA ARTISTA
How do the textures describe you and your experiences? My experiences with textures in the Arts, creating layers upon layers of different materials in order to represent the effects of said material over time, as consequences reflect time.
What is the importance of using objects found every day? It is of great importance to use objects that I find on most occasions in my daily lives. The greatest satisfaction as an artist or as a creator of things is to give life to those objects that on most occasions are unimportant.
What do you wish people understood more about the importance of life? That life always has the possibility of being better, simple and joyful.
How has your culture affected your perspective on the world? As a person who grew up on an island in direct contact with my surroundings, rivers, beaches, balls, etc., I think we see life in a simple, positive and different way.
Growing up, did you feel different from others around you, and if so, when was the first time you came to this realization? In reality, I have no reason to feel different from others, but it was of great importance to grow up in a family directly with the Arts and how to use it to communicate ideas.
What was one memorable childhood experience from your culture? How he had a connection with nature, walking in the forest, running in the rain and swimming in beaches and rivers.
Was there anything from your culture that helped you understand this concept? As a Caribbean it highlights how we see and experience our experiences in life and thus have a joyful experience of it.
What memories do you connect to this piece? This work was created as sequences of my internal questioning as an artist and my reality of 9 to 5 days, days of work.