IN MEMORY OF THE 513 CALIFORNIA SOLDIERS

2008 I was invited to participate in a group exhibit for “Día de Los Muertos”, (Day of the Dead). After reflecting for a few days on what to do and who to honor, it dawned on me that the Iraq War was well in the seventh year and not only we were in Iraq but we were in conflict with Afghanistan. I researched and found that the Los Angeles Times keeps a page entitled “California’s War Dead. Military deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan, 2001-Present” where I found the names, date of death and city of the 513 soldiers who died from 2001 to 2008. Being an admirer of José Guadalupe Posada, I borrowed his engraved image titled “The Calavera of Don Quixote” (The skeleton of Don Quixote).

This is the link to the Los Angeles Times page.
TOP

THE FACES BEHIND PACE

The idea to read and research about people that selflessly had dedicated there lives to prompted peace and had won the Novel Pace Prize, was a welcoming subject after finishing the series “The Faces of Torture”. Their characters surface slowly over the wort “PEACE” dictating the colors and composition of the canvas. It was and steal a team that I go back when I need reaffirmation of the human race, knowing that just scratch the surface, because there are steal a lot of great humans to know.

But do not take it from me click in this link and get to know them.








TOP

BLACK LIVES MATTER

The nation has become desensitized to the constant killing of innocent black men, and we have been numbed by the persistent violence in this country. The only action we take against these terrific events is to “Pray” for the victims. So, it was a fresh beginning when people began to organize and the “BLACK LIVES MATTER” movement began to resonate around the states.

Being non-native to this country, I knew this could happen to me at any time. I felt “BLACK LIVES MATTER” was protecting me as well, so when I began to think about my painting, I did not want to be to descriptive. I wanted to say that YES, I am a proud USA citizen, that I believe this nation is in crisis, and that every killing need to investigated.

Recently, I attended the 2019 celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. at Vincennes University, where the keynote speaker, Frank Leon Roberts, opened my eyes to the MEANING OF THE BLACK LIVES MATER MOVEMENT. His lecture breaks every myth we have heard, and outlines five ways to understand Black Lives Matter, but who better to explain this than Professor Frank Leon Roberts himself.

Please click in this link to hear Professor Frank Leon Roberts.



TOP

E PLURIBUS UNUM

The words of then congressman from Chicago Barack Obama during the 2004 Democratic National Convention resonated in my whole body!

“There is not a liberal America and a conservative America—there is the United States of America. There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America—there's the United States of America”
— Barack Obama, 2004 Democratic National Convention Keynote Address.

He had unleashed a fresh sense of HOPE for everyone, making me wonder when he would run for the Presidency of the United States of America.

Once President, Barack Obama’s new polices were furiously confronted. The first priority for Republicans like Mitch McConnell was to make sure President Barack Obama would only serve one term. Not only did they attack his policies, but also his patriotism, religion, integrity. Most importantly, his citizenship was questioned.

As I watched this, I felt the need to make sure that we would not forget how the Republicans were lynching a former President. The idea to use Andrea Mantegna, Saint Sebastian for this, was the similitude of the story, where a man was ordered to be killed for what he believes by having him tied to a stake on a training field and used as target practice.

I have not shown this painting, but the people who have seen it reacted with much distress. I know that I tapped a very sensitive nerve, which is the principal function of a painting.


TOP

THE FACES OF COURAGE

On the eve of Thanksgiving 2014, devastating news hit the nation – another American had been beheaded by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. His name was Peter Edward Kassig, also known as Abdul-Rahman Kassig. We know a little about his final thoughts through a letter he wrote to his parents, Ed, a school teacher, and Paula, a nurse. His words were broadcast everywhere, and they hit me to the point that tears rolled from my eyes every time I heard them. I knew his words eventually would fade and people would go about their daily lives. That is the reason I created “The Faces of Courage” series – to remind us that James Foley, Kayla Mueller and Peter Kassig died for what they loved doing and to never forget them.




TOP

DREAMING BEHIND THE FENCE

Composed of six panels, Lozano's deconstructed form demonstrates the otherness of the DREAMers; the despondency arising from millions of youth immigrants pledging allegiance to a nation that does not recognize them. The chain-link fence illustrates the incarcerating clutches of a suspended state of banishment. This key multi-media component unites the six panels and showcases the solidarity achieved amongst the DREAMers, despite the threat of exile.








TOP

DISCRIMINATION UNDER GOD 2015

As the national pendulum of justice has significantly shifted in the direction of tolerance and inclusion for the LGBT community, the Republican-controlled Indiana House, under the pretext of freedom of religion, approved and passed a law that turned back the clock, undermining and removing all progress of equality established over recent decades.

The Republicans disguised their legislation as a law intended to prevent religious discrimination. However, the public immediately realized that the measure was actually designed to let business owners discriminate against the LGBT community.

My painting, “Discrimination Under God Indiana 2015”, is a testament to this historical event, and I encourage anyone to participate by writing a comment and pinning it to the chain link fence.


TOP

THE FACES BEHIND TORTURE

“I want to be absolutely clear with our people, and the world: the United States does not torture. It’s against our laws, and it’s against our values. I have not authorized it, and I will not authorize It.” -- George W. Bush.

With this statement, once again we fell victim to the lies the Bush administration fabricated to keep the world in the dark. Only after graphic photographs from Abu Ghraib surfaced was it made clear that the Iraqi people were deliberately physically and mentally tortured.

The Bush administration needs to be accountable for the pain, suffering and injustice they subjected innocent people to, as well as the lies told to the citizens of the world. The hard reality is that even after looking at the photographs, most people still do not TRULY SEE the horror the Iraqis went through. They are victims without a face. For that reason, I have put a FACE to this injustice.

George W. Bush, Dick Cheney and Donald Rumsfeld need to realize they cannot lie any more…they are The FACES BEHIND TORTURE.










TOP

THE ART OF LAUGHTER

I agree, laughter is essential like the Italian psychiatrist Roberto Assagioli believed when he wrote Smiling Wisdom in 1906. If there was a time to re-visit this theory I supposed the time is now. He writes, “The ancients greatly appreciated laughter, which they looked upon as a divine gift and a helpful remedy. There never was a time when such a remedy was more needed than now....”

And how else no one other than Charlie Chaplin to make us reflect upon these words. The pioneer of the silver screen, he made us laugh when the world needed laughter. But I think that more than his ability to make us smile, it was his insightful ability to see mankind and make us THINK. Laugh, rejoice and reflect with the words of Charlie Chaplin.













TOP