Papaqui Pinata $3,500

Mixed Media

*11’x3’x7.5’

2023

I examine the dehumanization of people through the politicization, marketing, and spin that we are subjected to in our everyday lives by exploiting commercialism and placing issues in an appetizing, yet disturbingly consumable form. In an era where the masses are looked upon as “consumers” rather than citizens, I have seen that the best way to skirt laws is to redefine them or outright claim them to be “fake news.” My multi-media installations and sculptures comment on identity, immigration, inequality and domestic terrorism, in our commercial-centric society. This is to not only to heighten awareness of the subject matter, but to begin conversation where most would rather be entertained. The creation and engineering of the work is not just an artistic presentation: it is an invitation to engage the viewer into the work itself, creating an interactive experience that merges a passion for the arts with today’s technologies and the social/political concerns of today. My work speaks on a part of American Culture that is misconstrued today because of political and media rhetoric, the Mexican American Border, immigration, identity and history. It is through art that I encourage the viewer to research their ancestral backgrounds, empathize with our neighbors, and learn about histories that were not taught in schools or adapted to lionize our country. It is my hope, that in learning true histories, whether positive or negative, that we can work together in our communities to move forward in a productive direction and expand our views of American history as well as Art History.

Angel Cabrales, MFA, is an Assistant Professor in Sculpture at the University of Texas at El Paso. He received his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Arizona State University and Masters of Fine Arts from The University of North Texas.

Angel views everything as an artistic resource and utilizes this in all his creations, from his extensive experience with a variety of mediums and styles, to the intangibles, such as his upbringing in the El Paso, Texas Borderlands, his work grows and expands with the requirements presented from each new idea. His father a retired engineer at White Sands Missile Range, instilled Angel with a great interest in science and engineering, while his mother, a politically active stay at home mother, taught him the importance of community and social work through her volunteer work. Angel’s work is an amalgamation of his upbringing resulting in social/political commentary with an engineered flare. The artwork’s concept ultimately dictates the medium needed for its creation, so artistic evolution is intrinsic in his philosophy.

Art on the Rim is brought to you by: parkeraleman

A special THANK YOU to the El Paso Community Foundation, and the Border Art Residency. For more information: contactparkeraleman@gmail.com