Rafa Esparza
He frequently incorporates elements of fashion, which he uses to explore the body, as well as his Mexican-American background, showcasing a deep connection to his cultural roots.
His performances, which sometimes involve physically demanding tasks or ritualistic actions, invite audiences to contemplate the boundaries of art and the human experience.
Esparza's adobe brick installations, a nod to traditional construction methods, serve as both artistic creations and symbols of resilience.
Through his diverse body of work, Esparza challenges conventional artistic norms and prompts viewers to engage with thought-provoking concepts in unconventional settings.
He uses aspects of materiality, memory, and (non)documentation as primary tools to question and critique ideologies that have been set and remain today by past generations that may be outdated.
[9] This influence reflects in his works as they sometimes tackle topics surrounding Chicano and queer histories like colonization, male sexuality, freedom, home, and family.
[4] For his participation in the 2016 Made in L.A. Biennial at the Hammer Museum, Esparza created "Tierra," a field of adobe bricks from Los Angeles' dirt.
The artist's sculptures and objects were buried and unearthed in Elysian Park, a historical site of early Latinx communities' displacement.
The steps that followed this display of art were "an interactive website, an anthology docuseries, accessible actions for the public to take to join the movement against immigrant detention, and cultural partnerships producing arts-related education and engagement.
[18] The adobe room, made with dirt from Los Angeles River, was used as an exhibition space by other LA-based Latino artists Esparza invited to participate.
[19] In 2018, Esparza's collaborative exhibition and performance event de la calle was his first solo museum presentation at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles.
[21] Esparza, other artists, and queer nightlife personalities were involved in the construction of various garments, which ranged from a translucent rainbow dress to an orange hoodie with mechanical puppies strung around the neckline.
[27] In 2020, Rafa Esparza collaborated with Eamon Ore-Giron and Gala Porras-Kim for the Art Basel 2020; their exhibition was also featured at Commonwealth and Council Gallery.
This exhibition featured Esparza’s paintings that were created on Adobe- his artwork was dedicated to confronting white supremacy through the history of colonial violence.
Fellow riders included L.A. artists Gabriela Ruiz, Karla Canseco, Victor Barragán, and Rosales, all of whom had helped bring the piece together.
[32] This exhibition builds upon a previous performance he had done in collaboration with Mario Ayala, Tanya Melendez, Paul Marcus Rodriguez and Fabian Guerrero titled "Corpo ranfla, 2018".
[37] The 2022 revision of the original Corpo ranfLA (2018) includes a cyborg component that subverts the traditional narrative of the mechanical aiding the human.
[39] The lack of feminine and queer expression in this hyper-masculine space is the focus of both these performances, as well as the photoshoot accompanying the feature piece about Corpo ranfLA in the Los Angeles Times.
In her signature sculptural and subversive manner, Sanchez-Kane designed a metal cyborgian piece of armor for one of esparza's hands, along with a white billowing dress.
[40] Along with the way he dresses the body in Indestructible Columns and both renditions of Corpo ranfLA, Esparza embraces fashion and style as a fundamental element in his practice.
