October 2022 Unicorn Of The Month: Roberto Jackson Harrington
Annnnddddddd we are back! After a long hiatus and A LOT of me saying, " Yeah, Yeah, Yeah. I'm going to publish this month," I am actually publishing something! In addition to featuring a new artist this month, I am changing the format a bit by asking questions that both art and non art people would want to know. With that being said, I give you Roberto Jackson Harrington.
1. Tell me about you as a person. The name in which you prefer to go by. Where are you based? What are your origins, where are you from, etc.?
I considered myself becoming a professional artist upon earning my MFA, 14 years ago. Although I've been drawing for as long as I can remember, in particular I recall drawing a cliff and seascape over and over again in kindergarden. While others had always referred to me as an artist, I didn't consider myself one until earning my MFA in 2008. I've always held so much respect and revered the term "artist" when applied to a particular person, I felt I needed to earn the moniker before I could apply when addressing myself.
A recent accomplishment that I'm proud of was being included in Museo del Barrio's recent Triennial exhibition "Estamos Bien–La Trienal 20/21". That's led to a few other opportunities that I hope to build on. Ideally, other international biennials and similar exhibitions.
1. Tell me about you as a person. The name in which you prefer to go by. Where are you based? What are your origins, where are you from, etc.?
My parents named me Robert Jackson Harrington. Although, depending on context I use many others. For example my family uses anything from Betito to Beto to Roberto. When I write or publish written work I go by RJ Harrington. While in my visual art-practice I use Roberto as a signifier of latinx background. Currently I'm based in Austin, TX, however I'm originally from El Paso, TX.
2. How long have you been practicing art professionally, when did you consider yourself a real artist?
2. How long have you been practicing art professionally, when did you consider yourself a real artist?
3. Did you go to art school? Tell me about your training, formal and informal.
Yes, I attended The University of Texas at El Paso for my BFA where I studied graphic design and sculpture. Then I attended the San Francisco Art Institute where I earned my MFA focusing on sculpture and digital arts. While attending both schools, I was encouraged to explore conceptual ideas and work over material explorations and developing craft skills, i.e., woodwork, welding, etc.
4. What is the medium(s) that you prefer to work in and why?
4. What is the medium(s) that you prefer to work in and why?
I prefer working with drawing, collage, and sculpture, each for specific reasons. I create sculptures using everyday materials and occasionally, I find myself limited either because of material costs, space to show them or simple physics of the materials such as weight, balance, color etcetera. I turn to drawing at this point because drawings allow me to work sculpturally without concerns for cost, location, physics etc. Yet, I sometimes find drawing has its own limits, usually very labor intensive, meaning it takes a lot of time to produce. That's when I turn to collage. Searching for images on the internet, I find pictures of objects I'd use for sculptures. From there I simply sculpt in a two-dimensional medium and create work from that. It's similar to drawings but what I make up for in time-saving and image realism, I sometimes lose perspective and create uncanny works, which works.
5. Who are some of your art inspirations? What are some of your non-art inspirations?
I enjoy seeing how artists such as Tom Sachs, Jessica Stockholder, Richard Tuttle and Alejandro Almanza Pereda create work. I find their solutions to art making so intriguing including material choices and limitations (self-imposed or otherwise). I always feel their work emanates a sense of problem solving and thinking. Non-art inspirations mostly come from other interests such as low-rider/early monster-truck/hot-rod/custom-car culture. There's a level of absurdity that exists in these sub-car cultures that draws me in. There's no real goal or point to the modifications applied to the vehicles other than a purely aesthetic experience.
5. Who are some of your art inspirations? What are some of your non-art inspirations?
I enjoy seeing how artists such as Tom Sachs, Jessica Stockholder, Richard Tuttle and Alejandro Almanza Pereda create work. I find their solutions to art making so intriguing including material choices and limitations (self-imposed or otherwise). I always feel their work emanates a sense of problem solving and thinking. Non-art inspirations mostly come from other interests such as low-rider/early monster-truck/hot-rod/custom-car culture. There's a level of absurdity that exists in these sub-car cultures that draws me in. There's no real goal or point to the modifications applied to the vehicles other than a purely aesthetic experience.
6. When do you know when a work is finished?
I don't. I always feel like I can keep tweaking, adjusting, updating, modifying etc. Usually when my work gets framed I feel as though it's been killed and placed in its coffin.
I don't. I always feel like I can keep tweaking, adjusting, updating, modifying etc. Usually when my work gets framed I feel as though it's been killed and placed in its coffin.
7. Tell me about your process when working. Do you listen to music or do any rituals to get yourself ready to make art?
My process occurs over several periods and usually isn't in one spot. It starts with material collecting. For sculpture that means shopping. I find material anywhere, chain retailers like Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, my local grocery sum up some sources. When collaging I scour Google Images. A few key words start me on a path and then I let the site guide me to new images that I might not be looking for specifically but appeals to me, either via color or shape. When I assemble either the objects into sculptures or the images into collages, I sit at a desk or kitchen table and listen to music. I tend to listen to old stuff I've heard over and over again. It fills the background noise with familiar sounds and allows me to get lost in the art marking. It focuses me on my task.
My process occurs over several periods and usually isn't in one spot. It starts with material collecting. For sculpture that means shopping. I find material anywhere, chain retailers like Target, Bed Bath and Beyond, Home Depot, my local grocery sum up some sources. When collaging I scour Google Images. A few key words start me on a path and then I let the site guide me to new images that I might not be looking for specifically but appeals to me, either via color or shape. When I assemble either the objects into sculptures or the images into collages, I sit at a desk or kitchen table and listen to music. I tend to listen to old stuff I've heard over and over again. It fills the background noise with familiar sounds and allows me to get lost in the art marking. It focuses me on my task.
8. What are the meanings and the concepts behind this particular body of work?
My work creates false narratives that exploit the idea of potential. I make arrangements using common, everyday materials such as cutting boards, lighters, silicone straws, extension cords, lamps, locks, Zip-ties, ice chests, wheels, razors, flashlights, plywood, lumber, an inexhaustible list really. I choose objects with vivid color and have some sort of utility that I render useless in my assemblages. I end up with an object or image of a machine or device that functions only to be looked at. It acts as a stimulus or catalyst, a suggestion for a situation, or an action that compels the viewer to respond.
9. What do you want viewers to take away from your work?
My goal is to lead the viewer to believe that my art somehow performs some kinetic function or illustrates a scheme of some unknown action. I feel that the viewers' projected ideas of what my work can potentially be is far more interesting than the actual artworks themselves.
My work creates false narratives that exploit the idea of potential. I make arrangements using common, everyday materials such as cutting boards, lighters, silicone straws, extension cords, lamps, locks, Zip-ties, ice chests, wheels, razors, flashlights, plywood, lumber, an inexhaustible list really. I choose objects with vivid color and have some sort of utility that I render useless in my assemblages. I end up with an object or image of a machine or device that functions only to be looked at. It acts as a stimulus or catalyst, a suggestion for a situation, or an action that compels the viewer to respond.
9. What do you want viewers to take away from your work?
My goal is to lead the viewer to believe that my art somehow performs some kinetic function or illustrates a scheme of some unknown action. I feel that the viewers' projected ideas of what my work can potentially be is far more interesting than the actual artworks themselves.
10. What are your biggest goals as a visual artist? And what has been your proudest moment professionally?
My goals shift as I reach them. However, an associate of mine left me with this thought: "If your goals don't scare you, you're not dreaming big enough". With that in mind, some long term goals have been to have my work placed in respected fine art collections and ideally be able to support myself on art sales alone.
My goals shift as I reach them. However, an associate of mine left me with this thought: "If your goals don't scare you, you're not dreaming big enough". With that in mind, some long term goals have been to have my work placed in respected fine art collections and ideally be able to support myself on art sales alone.
A recent accomplishment that I'm proud of was being included in Museo del Barrio's recent Triennial exhibition "Estamos Bien–La Trienal 20/21". That's led to a few other opportunities that I hope to build on. Ideally, other international biennials and similar exhibitions.
For more of Roberto's work, visit his Website, his Instagram account and be sure send him a note of congratulations because he is exhibiting 3 works during CRAFTTEXAS 2022 at The Houston Center For Contemporary Craft which opens October 1.
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