Art Convo with Raelis Vasquez: A Focused Responsibility on Black Latinx Figures in His Paintings
Portrait by Maxim Ryazansky.
A warm conversation with Dominican-born artist and current Columbia MFA student, Raelis Vasquez (he/him), on the power of the static in his oil paintings and centering Black Latinx figurative narratives with intention.
How are you feeling at this moment?
I feel blessed. All things considered, my family and I are healthy, so I’m grateful for that. I’m focused on my studio practice, working towards some shows, and finishing school.
How have you balanced self-care and your art practice during these quarantined months?
Something really important is for me to stay active, so I go outdoors frequently to get a workout. I’ve also been spending a lot of time with family and friends. We often spent time at the beach this summer and are now getting together every so often to do a campfire.
As a Dominican-American viewer, I feel the Dominican essence in your art, and it naturally speaks to me. Folks sitting in el patio, and a mom feeding her baby rocking in her mesera. What do you want other folks to see in these representations of the Dominican community?
I’m representing what I feel is my story. I’m capturing these quiet moments that either I’ve personally documented or I take from family photos. I hope folks see a very different and specific narrative of being someone from the African Diaspora, who is also a Latino immigrant.
“I find in the static a possibility of contemplation and reflection that the dynamic movement, cannot dream of reaching.”
Matrimonio, oil, acrylic, and oil stick on canvas, 2020. Courtesy of the artist.
You recently were in a two-person exhibit with the dynamite Tiffany Alfonseca! Can you talk about your joint show Como Nosotros Somos, and working with a fellow incredible peer?
I really enjoyed working on that collaboration piece with Tiffany and doing the two-person show. I think it was an important show as we’re both from the island and we bring our own way of making paintings. It was great for me to see our works side by side and seeing the differences of our stories being highlighted, as I was born in the Dominican Republic and Tiffany was born in the Bronx. Also, from my understanding, there aren’t many Latinx people of African descent in the West Coast, so I’m thrilled that we were able to do that show and bring that conversation forth. I look forward to continuing the conversation and working with Tiffany again.
Your paintings focus on stillness and daily life with Black Latinx subjects. You present very beautiful moments of introspection and togetherness. Can you talk about this more?
Well first, thank you! I think there’s something truly powerful about the static, the still. I find in the static a possibility of contemplation and reflection that the dynamic movement, cannot dream of reaching. I discovered this at an early age. I will say though, I’ve tried making dynamic works and that aspect of introspection gets lost. To me, the dynamic comes when the viewer interacts with the work. About the togetherness, that’s how we are in my family so it’s what I know when it comes to community. When I look around, that’s what I see so, I try to preserve it through my work.
“It was great for me to see our works side by side and seeing the differences of our stories being highlighted, as I was born in the Dominican Republic and Tiffany was born in the Bronx.”
Seth en el Apartamento de Mis Padres, oil, acrylic, and oil stick on canvas, 2020. Courtesy of the artist
