Tuesday, May 2, 2023
Reception 5 PM, Lecture 6 PM
Join us for an evening with Marcos Ramírez ERRE. The artist will discuss his career, process, and recent projects, as well as his newest mural for Murals of La Jolla. The reception begins at 5 PM.
Marcos Ramírez ERRE’s mural To Reflect the Times is the third installment of the artist’s work at this site. In line with the previous two installations, Is All That It Proves, 2015, and In Chains, 2020, this new work also poignantly reappropriates the Snellen eye chart as a symbolic tool. Rich with multilayered, critical commentary, the artist pulls from timeless icons of the past to illuminate facets of the contemporary moment.
An idol of American music and a well-known civil rights activist, Nina Simone was one of the most extraordinary artists of the 20th century. In speaking about the artist’s role in society, Simone said, “It is an artist’s duty to reflect the times.” ERRE quotes Simone to reflect on the ongoing role of the artist and art’s function as a bellwether of humanity. An impactful amalgamation of past, present, and future evolves as ERRE draws in the voices of the past to investigate the current moment, his role as the artist, and the collective role of art in society. The trope of the eye chart pushes beyond its objective meaning and elucidates the subjective experience of perception within a contemporary context. In light of all that is going on in the world, ERRE’s mural reminds us of the importance of the artist as a translator of the lived experience as a means to highlight the complexities of these times as well as those to come.
About Marcos Ramírez ERRE:
Marcos Ramírez ERRE has come to be defined by his clever visual arguments and masterfully crafted work that maintains a poetic sensibility, even when leveling biting political commentary. He was born in 1961 in Tijuana, Mexico. ERRE received his law degree from La Universidad Autónoma de Baja California. In 1983, he immigrated to the United States, where he worked for 17 years in the construction industry. His multidisciplinary background has shaped his practice. He came to prominence in the 1990s with large public installations that dealt with migrants, immigration, and border control, specifically focusing on the US–Mexico border crossing. Much of ERRE’s work grapples with these issues.
Mural Members and Makers attend FREE and will receive an email to RSVP for the lecture.
Artist Talk Tickets: $15/20/5
Marcos Ramírez ERRE’s mural To Reflect the Times can be viewed at 7744 Fay Avenue, La Jolla, CA 92037.
The talk will be in person at the Athenaeum Music & Arts Library. There are no physical tickets for this event. Your name will be on an attendee list at the front door. Doors open at 5:00 p.m. Seating is first-come; first-served. This event will be presented in compliance with State of California and County of San Diego health regulations as applicable at the time of the lecture.
Masks optional. If you have a fever, cough, or flu-like symptoms, please stay home.