ABOUT THE ARTIST

An Intimate View About a Subjective Painter

www.JVisualConcepts.com

Julian Vergara, self-taught artist grew up and developed in New York City. Influenced by the New York School of Abstract-Expressionism. "I come from a family of artists" said Vergara. My father, Marco Antonio Vergara, was an artist himself who taught all my brothers and sisters how to draw. Dad was an accomplished Taylor. Mom, Guiomar Zoraida Chacon de Vergara, saws clothing and same as my father she had and exquisite taste. My older brother Marco Antonio developed as a realist with an incredible eye for detail. His themes ranges from landscapes to seascapes to animals and portraits. His palette is colorful and vibrant. Brother Fernando Antonio is a tailor by trade and also with high aesthetic concepts, just like dad . My sisters Martha Elena and Alba Rosa draw cartoons from Walt Disney and anything they can copy. Carlos Arturo the last sibling of my family is an accomplished Computer Graphic Designer and excellent Computer Configuration Technician as well as a consummated realist and abstract painter, his palette is a good reflection of his knowledge of color theory. Vergara attended LaGuardia Community College in Queens, New York where he acquired the necessary training as a fine artist, receiving and Associates in Fine Arts and Liberal Arts. While at LaGuardia Community College the artist was elected president of the art club for three years.

His studies led them to experiment with sculpture which eventually led him to wall constructions/assemblages. His murals 8’ X 8’ were in permanent exhibition for three and a half years at LaGuardia Community College. By now the artist have been exposed to the art exhibited at the Museum of Modern Art MOMA, The Metropolitan Museum, The Guggenheim Museum, the galleries at Soho, Tribbeca and The Village and of course the art of painters such as, Pablo Picasso, Juan Gris, Joan Miro, Jackson Pollock, Frank Stella, pop artist Andy Warhol. Then his passion for abstractionism became part of his life. “I remember assisting to my teachers exhibitions and of course their main body of work had that abstract flair. All were influenced by the New York School of Abstract Expressionism. Soon with the support from his art instructors, Vergara started participating on juried exhibitions at his college, outdoor exhibitions as well as on local galleries.

In July 31, 1983 His son Julian Fabian was born in Queens, New York. “With the birth of my son my world changed for the better. My desire to live intensified, my ambition and dream of becoming an important and prolific abstract painter took shape.

JF (as I call my son) became my inspiration, the reason for me to be, my son became my every breath of air, my son became the center of my universe, the strength for me to become the best I could be as an emerging artist, a father and friend to my lovely son. Julian Fabian brought to my life INSPIRATION. My son brought new meaning to the word LOVE, to the word ASPIRATION, to the word LIFE, to the word ART. I seem to have the world on my hands, all because of the birth of my son. It was also the beginning of three wonderful years at the prestigious Pratt Institute in Brooklyn New York. Then I realized God's kindness.

Pratt Institute offered the stimulus an challenge necessary to continue on pursuing his career as a Graphic Designer and Abstract Painter. Eventually abstractionism was the style that the artist felt more comfortable with, it allow him to set himself free of attempting different techniques, creation seemed to have no boundaries, no limits. Thus, becoming a very prolific art student. “Pratt was a place for experimentation, discovery of the many techniques and mediums, the school's high standards, the instructors were professionals with many awards recognized by the community and the media nationally and internationally had a great influenced in the developing of my passion for art. Pratt challenged me every minute of my life." The student body was aware of the aesthetic concepts, the many trends in design Pratt expected from their students. Everybody seem to possess that innate talent for art, a great sense color balance and composition, the competition was fierce, but it was a healthy one, that’s how I perceived it, the school made it possible and stimulated me to participate actively on juried exhibitions in fine arts, graphic design as well as participating on installations by professional and established artists.

In the summer of 1986 Vergara was awarded his Bachelor Degree in Fine Arts specializing in Graphic Communication, by then the artist have had numerous exhibitions as fine Artist and Graphic Designer. The age of computers as a tool for artists soon became his fascination and also a necessity; the artist felt the need and embraced it in order to remain viable. Pratt Manhattan the School of Professional Studies in New York City became his home for the following three years of his life. The exposure to the different software programs as well as the latest in hardware contributed to his development as a visual artist, it also opened many possibilities for his creation. The manipulation of digital images, the stimulus for creativity and the challenges in every project led eventually to the merging of the two mediums such as fine art and computer graphics. It opened up a whole new world of experimentation and growth for the creativity so much needed in the process of becoming a well developed artist with projection into the sophisticated world of Graphic Communication and the complex and competitive world of Fine Arts, After Three years Vergara was professionally certified in Desktop Publishing and Electronic Illustration.

Vergara had a number of exhibitions in computergraphics while attending school and doing an internship for The New Yorker Magazine as well as working independently as a freelancer for a number of companies and newspapers.

The Macintosh computer, digital images, flatbed scanners, cd's, pixels, bites, and megabytes measured his creativity, these have become the tools of his trade along with acrylics, oils, the fumes of turpentine, stretched canvases and collage. Technology have taking him to a different and deeper dimension in the spectrum of art. The now and ever evolving computer age captured the imagination and energy of this prolific artist, the manipulation of digital images were some of the forms to express his interest in abstractionism and surrealism where Salvador Dali with his dripping-dream like images have been of his interest, several surreal pieces have been produced by the artist and are part of his personal collection "I possess the curiosity of the renaissance man. I need to be continuously experimenting with different styles and mediums, as an artist I can never stagnate. The universe is always expanding and contracting, the world is always changing" says Vergara.

Life in New York pulses at a different rhythm, its lights, crowded subway stations, trains packed with people of many cultures, unending traffic lines, the intermittent sounds of sirens, hectic life, and the many languages mixed in the air with aromas of ancient cultures, the many skin complexions and the incredible energy of color of their garments have also served as inspiration to this fine artist. "I love the sounds and the accents of the many cultures, their food, culture, art, celebrations and their symbology, all these elements served as stimulus to my creativity. I am aware of the spectrum of cultures that enriches and contributes immensely to the American culture.

Being among these cultures in a daily basis is like being in a constant casting of actors and actresses on the stage of life of New York City". All these elements have made a great difference in the way the artist sees his world. His creativity seems to be drawn from his daily experiences and the communion with all those cultures that made possible the growth as an artist who confesses that his art belongs to the people.

"I like to think that the many cultures and its people are a source of inspiration, I owe myself to my community and with my art I express my gratitude for their contribution to my growth. They offer us all a taste of their culture. All these elements have helped me grow culturally, personally and spiritually. I find myself in need to understand the beauty and uniqueness of ancient believes based on their convictions. I have learned to accept their ways and hope to share this world in harmony and in peace with them. I breathe the beauty and creation of others that breathe the creation of my spirit. Art is the bridge to connect with others, art is the venue to unify the many cultures of the world and for that I feel deeply grateful".

The chemistry that makes a human being is very complex, many are the components. In this case poetry and soccer are and intrinsic part of this artist who believes that many are the layers that need to be dissected in order to discover the greatness of creativity in people's souls and minds. We all are very capable of creating great art, writting poetry that transcends, human beings have done art since ancient times and scribbles in caves inspired us to continue on portraying the world as we see it. The Ancient Chinesse and Aztecs played a game similar to Football - Soccer and today the sport is known as the The Universal Sport, my sport, my passion, the sport of multitudes,

Poetry has been another form of creativity. Many poems have been written since early childhood. Vergara believes that life and death should be treated with respect since both are part of a transition. Verses expressing his gratitude to the emotions and the many situations that life has presented to the artist were written for posterity.

In November 2003 Vergara's exhibition at Dr. Rodolfo Acuña Art Gallery at cafe on "A" in Oxnard, California presented 42 assemblages/wall constructions. “It took me a year and a half to complete this series, hours of library research, the purchasing of books related to my exhibition and my experiences with people from other cultures while living in New York. "I wanted to ensemble a cohesive body of work emphasizing spirituality, philosophy, the complexities and the beliefs that make a human being. This exhibition is the result of my act of contriction, my communion with nature and its creatures, the interaction with other cultures, the respect and admiration for their believes and spirituality. The aim was to embrace under abstractionism every ethnic group without the need to compete or feel above anyone’s culture or believe and hoping to reach together a safe and healthy state of spirit and mind.

With every exhibition I hope to engage the viewer’s intellect with interesting imagery, symbology, words, color and the usage of many materials to stir up feelings of acceptance and inquiry as each piece of art speaks to each individual viewer and possible contribute in their search for their questions on the many subjects that may be laying within the imagery presented. The main objective for this exhibition was to awaken consciousness and importance that other cultures play in our lives, this noble ideal can be reached if the viewer chooses to interact with my art and accept others with open arms.

A technical reason for this exhibition was my fascination with surfaces and symbols that seems to have a special vocabulary within, deliciously tense at times and loaded with contradictions and complements. These elements with unspoken words which at times feels as if ones intuition were pulled in many directions by presenting before us a silent dialog of images all too common in the world of appearances. This time I have chosen wood, metal, plastic, glass beads, leather, wire and sand with the intention to create a visual feast and stimulate the mind that at times seem to flirter with the soul. All these elements are a reminder of the complexity of ourselves, our physical world and the expansion and contraction of this vast universe. All that is before us was the force behind the creation of each piece of art; the idea was to confirm our relationship with the world and how wonderfully creativity may turn out to be. The reflection of my efforts is this collection of wall constructions never shown before. “I think, therefore I am" is a title that fits the purpose of this exhibit".

Eventually all boiled down to color symbology, Hindu philosophy, Greek mythology, Egyptian and African symbology, Buhduism, Christianity, Astronomy, Quiromancy, Astrology, Cultural Folklore, Taboos, the duality of the world and the duality of the mind and finally my very personal view of my world. It is my hope that along this journey you and I meet somewhere and the philosophy that is very personal may be shared making the conditions for survival a long lasting common effort with a clear vision for a better future full of compassion and understanding the importance in accepting that color blindness lead us to be careless and to be judgmental about other cultures, therefore creating tension and instability in a world already in a state of convulsion. The acceptance of the cultural spectrum portrayed in Vergara's work is a call of prevention to criticism and arrogance and the renunciation to such behavior and the embrace of a civilized world where color is important.

"I feel that our duty to the world and younger generations is to lay the foundation through the arts for a better future for the good of art and civilizations in general. The proper care for art and the way artists manifest their points of view are as important as the opinions the viewers draw from themes such as the one presented in " I think, therefore I am." Art can be the glue that bonds us together, brings us together and sets us free from unnecessary labeling of cultures we have not care to explore and understand. Artists have a duty with the world and that is that through their work insinuate, portray or emphasize the beauty of a world in a state of progress rather than a world in a state of convulsion. Art can convey signs of respect, hope, love, compassion, inquiry, and most importantly the recognition of race and that is the HUMAN RACE.

Julian Vergara was Born in Bogota, Colombia, South America, in his soul he carries the richness of its culture, the music of its people, the mystery of the land itself, the energy and vibrancy of color along with the sounds and influence of the rich culture of New York City.