Artist Statement

Louie Guajardo

I started creating dramatic pencil drawings and paintings at the age of eight and began my exploration in visual studies using watercolor, acrylic, spray, and oil paint. The result was the development of a vivid and unique style that I call Abstract Realism Lookery. Abstract Realism Lookery is influenced by Chicano and Renaissance art and their urban derivatives. Through my work, I wanted to explore the relationship between personal narrative and contemporary culture. My style portrays the harsh realities of life in a community subjugated by the cycle of economic segregation, violence and poverty, while visualizing the attempt to improve the circumstances of your homies and those who bring the ruckus. I interrogate the permanence and consistency of art in culture and the inherency of my own culture in the art that I create. My personal identity is grounded in my Latino and Native American ethno-racial culture, that serves as a translational conduit for my artistic expression. My work is also left intentionally vague, controversial, and conflicted, but it maintains fidelity to the spirit of nature and my chosen subjects. I have always believed that any painting, song, drawing, or culture is simply nature expressing itself. The force that guides nature is the ultimate purpose of the universe. Paintings, songs, and art prove to be the visible bridge that we use to take it in with our five senses. I am only able to work with the tools available to me as part of the structure of physical reality. I employ these tools to provide my interpretation of universal truths. I intend to continue to develop my technique, refine my critical lens, and create art in order to contribute to my own and others’ understanding of the nature of the universe.

My art is just another example of the universe expressing itself visually: to portray the harsh realities of life, subjugation, love, and those who bring the ruckus. As an artist, I place great importance on the spiritual purpose and divine aspect of creating my own art, but I also prioritize the work of other artists and their impacts on the world. These include painters, musicians, writers, activists, films, and nature. I feel that this diverse array of creators in different styles and genres have contributed to the development of a critical perspective that is integral to developing an expert understanding of the immense responsibility and technique that comes with being a painter and a thought leader in visual and critical studies. As an artist, and as a person, I want to apply visual and critical studies to my art because it aligns with the forces of nature as well as the objectivity of art. In my young life so far, I have learned the importance of listening rather than speaking, and drawing upon my experiences to create my art. I want to create what is right for the world and for humanity, and I understand the potential impact that art can have toward what is good and just. My motivation to pursue undergraduate study and comprehensive understanding of the visual arts derives from my desire for inspiration and the countless number of creators in the art and activism communities in New York City. Acquiring the wisdom required to be a champion of art, culture, and justice would allow me to fulfill my dreams and goals that first took shape when I was eight years old.