Claudia Ruiz Gustafson + Alejandro Zertuche
May 9–22, 2021
“I Am” by Claudia Ruiz Gustafson
Tell us about the artwork. What makes it unique?
The inspiration for this video comes from the poem "Thunder, Perfect Mind". It’s an ancient poem, a monologue built on stanzas and spoken in the voice of a feminine divine power. This poem may have been written in Egypt during the First century, probably by somebody who knew the traditions of Isis and the divine Sophia.
When I first became aware of "Thunder, Perfect Mind", I was immediately intrigued by the power of the text and the mystery of its paradoxes. I knew that I wanted to make a visual response to those stanzas. "I Am" is the response to this ancient text written in the 1st century.
Tell us about yourself. How did you come to be an artist in video/digital media?
My work is mainly autobiographical and self-reflective; each image relies on visual codes and symbolism often portraying themes of identity, memory, dreams and the sacred feminine. I regard image making as a powerful medium for exploring and revealing my inner world.
My intention is to speak to our universal humanity, our collective unconscious. To open doors to mysteries that we sense but cannot always name. The use of the human figure and the use of mirrors are constant elements in my work. I love the idea of the human trace, the human form. My mirrors become windows to another dimension, a place that exists only in our imagination.
“Al Caer la Corona” by Alejandro Zertuche
Tell us about the artwork. What makes it unique?
"Al caer la corona" is a videoart made during 2020, reflecting on the pandemic through the lens of the tarot card "the tower" comparing the symbolical implications of the card with the effects of the situation on global society, this card announces a shaking up of the stablished ways of being to transform them into new ways of understanding reality. The video centers on common images with subtitles (in Spanish) of what the card means on a tarot draw.
Tell us about yourself. How did you come to be an artist in video/digital media?
I am an artist working mainly with action based projects and research on esoteric and occult subjects, I recently started to do video pieces from the impossibility of doing live actions and the lack of in-person shows. I am interested in moving images as I am interested in performing, as "ritualized" forces becomes a source of impact and reflection for oneself and others.
Follow Alejandro on Instagram @alzerall