HARLINGEN — He describes art has having many languages.
That description by Jesus De La Rosa is a poignant and powerful illustration of how people create their own approach to art to give them a voice.
“I approach my practice knowing that I understand several of these languages,” said De La Rosa, whose show “One more time with feeling” opens at Beyond Arts Gallery on Jan. 18.
The exhibit consists of several two-dimensional works of acrylic and mixed media paintings on canvas and wood panels, said a statement from the gallery.
“De La Rosa’s focus on both sides of the border lends substance to the artwork that he produces,” said the statement. “He derives from his insight of the Texas/México landscape, where cultures, languages, and identities constantly conflict and bind.”
De La Rosa, an associate art professor at Texas A&M University-Kingsville, spent his formative years in both the Rio Grande Valley and right across the border in Nuevo Progreso. He traveled back and forth because his parents worked in Mexico while living in Texas.
“His borderland experience plays a pivotal role in his art experience,” said the statement from the gallery.
De La Rosa explained further his own artistic language.
“Layers of paint allow me to cover my mark making, while the process of cutting away paint and carving of a wood panel allow me to reclaim and rediscover a personal history,” he said.
