René Vasquez:
Creating from Limitation
Visual Art
30 July 2023
René Vasquez on exploring the limitless possibilities of a simplified process.
Abstract collages, meticulously crafted with vibrant colors and intricate layers, René Vasquez’s reinvented artistic practice embraces simplicity and minimalism. Using only tissue paper and canvas, Vasquez composes harmonious landscapes that explore themes of love, grief, death and all phenomenon related to the human experience. Currently living and working in North Carolina, Vasquez embodies the essence of an artist driven by sheer necessity as he states that art is like breathing, a practice that keeps him alive. With each piece, René unveils a glimpse of his inner world to highlight the notion that we are, in his words, “just a web of experience”.
At the start of his career, Vasquez pursued studies at the Art Center College of Design, focusing on illustration. He soon came to realize his lack of passion for bringing other people's ideas to life and instead longed to express his own artistic visions. Departing from his studies, Vasquez made a name for himself through intricate paintings with vast depths of meaning that had a complete symbolic language of their own. Though these works contrast heavily to his current endeavors, one consistent theme shines through as he states the work is, “always in some sense a self-portrait.” He feels a newfound sense of intimacy with the inquiries he poses, as if the simplicity of his art enables a deeper connection between himself and the questions he seeks to explore. Vasquez enjoys extracting every ounce of potential expressions from the minimal materials, demonstrating that sometimes less truly is more when it comes to conveying the complexity of existence. Vasquez’s newest body of work is titled, “All the Things I do not Know” and depicts that the only certainty in his life is that he does not know anything.
“As I work now I think more about each moment, how I connect to the world around me, how my work speaks the language of music, or the ocean, or the night sky, or of grief, or of love.”
Vasquez's artistic process is a captivating journey that begins with the placement of random shapes and colors of paper on his canvas. In this initial phase, he allows his intuition to guide him, embracing spontaneity and randomness as the foundation of his work. From there he lets his momentary inspirations take the wheel, Vasquez highlights that music deeply inspires him when working and often aids in revealing the path to the final product. Vasquez searches for meaning and connection in his artwork within the process of each piece. Informed by the larger questions of life, Vasquez's art comes alive in a symphony of expressive colors and captivating forms. The compositions are breathtaking in their final form, a conglomeration of layers, colors, and forms. Viewing the works is a visceral experience.
“I think I’m trying to build a simulation or a map of my world, my life. We layer experiences, we make do with what we have and try to forge meaning or balance, or something beautiful. I layer and layer until something emerges that makes sense. Some is intent, some is accident—all very much like life, I think.”
Outside of creating art, Vasquez does some creative writing from time to time engaging the same challenges he seeks to take on with his paintings. His outlook on artwork and writing is one to admire. He states that both seek to settle the anguished soul and mind through making something beautiful. Writing, artwork and life are all interconnected, each inspiring the processes of one another.
René Vasquez holds a steadfast belief in the transformative power of art, firmly stating that it has the ability to change the world in subtle yet profound ways, one individual at a time. According to him, when people engage with creative works born out of the raw and authentic impulse of their creators, something magical happens. Vasquez believes that these encounters spark a series of small shifts within a person's consciousness, gradually influencing their perspectives, values, and even actions. Moreover, he emphasizes the universality of art, stressing that it is not confined to any particular ideology or viewpoint. René Vasquez envisions a world where art and creativity bloom, fostering inclusivity, unity, and ultimately, a better personal understanding of life for all. He leaves us with the statement— “I think art is bigger and smaller than any box we put it in.”
