P
AGE
07
Artist and performer
Rafa Esparza
Jesus Figueroa
Writer
The work of Rafa Esparza takes
contemporary fine art and performance out
of the confinement of museums and out into
the world.
Esparza brings art to communities which
are not always priviledged to visiting
museums with his live performances
ranging from parks to under brifges.
As a gay man inspired by both his life pre
and post coming out, Esparza derives art
from many inspirational places, especially
the people who surround his life.
The education he has received, going from
East Los Angeles College to the University
of California Los Angeles, gained him not
only an education in art but in Chicano
studies.
Esparza’s latest showcase at the Vincent
Price Art Museum in Monterey Park,
California is his first solo museum exhibit
which has been accompanied by several live
performances outside the museum walls.
“Art is just something that I have always
done,’ Esparza said. “Choosing for art to be
a seminal part of who I am happened here,
at ELAC, when I started taking classes (art
Classes.”
Esparza’s gallery showing at the VPAM
Hoy Space runs through April 25.
For
more
information
visit
vincentpriceartmuseum.org.
Photo by Jesus Figueroa
THE ART- Rafa Esparza
painted by Shizu Saldamando.
Photo by Jesus Figueroa
THE MAN- Rafa Esparza
shows support for fellow
artist Shizu Saldamando.