S.I.R.
Manifest Scholar in Residence
2023/2024
Chris Marin
Chris Marin was born in Lubbock, Texas. He received his BFA in Painting and Drawing at Texas Tech University in 2016 and received his MFA in Fine Arts at California College of the Arts in San Francisco, California in 2018. Following his education, for two years he was an Artist-in-Residence at Charles Adams Studio Project in Lubbock, TX. In the past year, Marin has exhibited in solo and collaborative group exhibitions. Marin was featured in 8 to Create's Spring Show in Illinois; had a two person show De La Tierra with Gabi Magaly at Contra/Common Gallery in Bee Cave, TX; held a solo exhibition POW! Demo at John F. Lott Gallery, Lubbock, TX; a solo exhibition Paintings on Walls curated by Carolina Alamilla and gave an artist talk at the Rosemary Duffy Larson Gallery, Davie, FL; and a two person show PROTECTIVE ELEMENT with fellow Professor of Practice Wesley Chavis at Glassell Gallery, Baton Rouge, LA; Marin is featured in a small group show Voices: Discussions on Identity at Nancy Fyfe Cardozier Gallery, in Odessa, TX; lastly, he is featured in the renowned exhibition Soy de Tejas curated by Rigoberto Luna at Centro de Artes in San Antonio, TX.
Marin's work is founded in the 2D depiction of the figure while predominantly existing in the soft-sculptural painting world. Marin is a former Professor of Practice, Artist-in-Residence for Louisiana State University. Now, he lives and works in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. As a Chicano Chris is looking at historical events, linguistics, and cultural similarities to give visual emphasis within his established way of creating narratives in his artwork. Marin is actively looking for morality that lines up with social justice, as well as praxis coming from a Latin American group to actively build a bridge to another minority group.
Artist's Statement (abbreviated):
I am Mexican American with heritage in the land of Texas and México, which has shaped my understanding of relationships, and daily life. My research covers a gambit of topics, mostly focusing on the input and output of Identity. In addition, I am researching Spanish Inquisition as it is a moment that links my inherited Chicano culture to the addition of my chosen Jewish culture. In the conversion process I see correlations between Mexican American and Jewish American experiences: the fallout of Spanish and Yiddish being used by American parents to speak about the kids without them knowing, colonization and expulsion, pride, (reclamation of) traditions, activism (or lack thereof), music, textiles and colors, immigration versus diaspora, assimilation (throughout history), religion, and the everchanging practices of culture.
I make bodies of work focused on storytelling, with my approach landing between elements of a plot and traditional album structure. Each artwork contributes to the larger project. Taking from Carl Jung and Joseph Campbell, I turn to comedians and rappers for inspiration and to continue sampling by pulling quotes from them. Culturally instilling value in performance, storytelling coming from comedians and rappers seamlessly participates in Non-Western Oral History. Within a body of work, I create a short story that incorporates selected history and life experiences, while taking the audience through a character arch. It is relatable through joy and depression, all the while using the symbols of a sycamore leaf to represent the passing of time. The seasons and treatment of the leaf illustrate the development of narrative.
My work has realistic depictions of people through sewn and embroidered thread, fabric collage, painting, and drawing. Compositions are lively with imagery overlapping transparent and opaque layers, implied human movement, gestures of touch all aiming to redefine back, mid, and foreground. By using people, handwritten notes, and personalized symbols, I am building Ethos, Pathos, Logos.
The images pictured at right are a sampling of those submitted with Chris's application.
As Manifest Scholar in Residence Chris will be based out of M1, the new home of the Manifest Drawing Center program, and the future home of The Manifest Center for the Visual Arts, on Central Parkway.
See more and learn about Chris's work here:
www.thechrismarin.com
Information on how to apply for future SIR or MAR awards can be found here.
