Throughout his career, Franco Fasoli aka JAZ has treated his work as a search for identity, primarily between his native Argentina and Mexico. He represents a mix of cultures in motifs like masks, football, popular rituals and clashes between opposing parties, as in his mural about the 2014 Iguala Mass Kidnapping. This sort of confrontation is the main theme of his solo show, “CHOQUE” (English: “Collision”) now on view at Celaya Brothers Gallery in Mexico City. His exhibit offers different interpretations of this idea through culture, beliefs, ideals, and artistic techniques. His human-animal hybrid subjects wear the faces of indigenous and European cultures as they aggressively act out the characteristics of each. Some clash with legendary creatures like satyrs and minotaurs, more fantastical than in previous shows. JAZ is highly concerned with modern relationships between cultures, but it’s in images like these where he is careful not to forget the past.
“CHOQUE” by JAZ is now on view at Celaya Brothers Gallery through March 2, 2015.