Hard Time Mini Mall: Andres Basurto
Andres Basurto, an artist featured in the Shooting Gallery’s upcoming group show Hard Time Mini Mall curated by the Red Truck Gallery, discusses his process of designing mosaic glass skulls in the above video clip.
Basurto uses recycled glass and refashions them with epoxy resin, reminiscent of the skulls featured ubiquitously in Dia de los Muertos festivals. His exhibits have been written up in the Times-Picayune’s Nola section of New Orleans, Mosaic Art Now, and Inhabitat Design, and Basurto has also participated in the Outsider Art Fair. The skulls simultaneously exhibit power and fragility and we asked Basurtos to respond to a few questions his work raised for us. Check out his answers after the jump and make note that you can view his work, among a great spectrum of artists, featured in our upcoming group show Hard Time Mini Mall, curated by the Red Truck Gallery on April 13, 7-11pm. RSVP Here.
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Basurto, “Vicky,” 2024. Image from the Lyons Wier Gallery of New York.
Shooting Gallery: The human skull is a strong and significant symbol, and has been widely used since people first began creating art. For you, is the appeal based more on an interest in anatomy or do you create them as memento mori?
Andres Basurto: I have always considered the human skull a beautiful anatomical object, a vessel for the intellect and what some people might consider a soul. Of course the concept of memento mori, vanitas and the Day of the Dead fascinates me. To my understanding the fragility of life has an intrinsic value of beauty.
Basurto, “Soda and Sol,” 2024. Image from the Lyons Wier Gallery of New York.
SG: In the history of Mosaic art, rare and precious stones, shell and ivory would be used to signify the holiness or power of the finished piece. By using glass from material like broken liquor bottles are you evoking a specific contrast to those traditions?
AB: I see the bottles that I use as discarded precious objects that use to hold water or different spirits, like beer wine or liquor. The bottles were part of everyday drinking rituals that are important to our society. The glass skulls are also in some way the symbolic manifestation of those rituals of transformation.
Basurto, Photo by Jacob Breinholt for the website Curated.
Hard Time Mini Mall
Opening Reception – Saturday, April 13, 7-11 pm
On View Through May 04, 2024
@ Shooting Gallery (shootinggallerysf.com)
886 Geary, San Francisco, CA
Will definitely be into The City to see this. Thanks for the ping back.
Oh! Forgot to mention. I have shared/tweeted on FB and Twitter to followers of Mosaic Art NOW.
Thanks, Nancie! We look forward to having you join us!