Nourishing Objects: Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy
Nourishing Objects: Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy
The earthenware piece, composed of two tubular forms joined at the bottom and top, showcases the drama masks of comedy and tragedy. The former smiles while the latter frowns and a teardrop rolls down its cheek. These faces are stylized with clown makeup, a figure that often navigates the line between jolliness and misery. Alvarado’s work centers on vulnerability and strength, seeming opposites that complement each other. This dialogue is most evident through the juxtaposition of the cuteness in the masks’ rendering and the punk aesthetics of faux studs and chains that decorate the sculpture.
Delving deeper into this object, I better grasped the concept of life’s coexisting dualities. Most important of all: that it is essential to find joy in the face of strife and oppression. Laughing and having fun, as well as resting, do not invalidate the serious work of fighting for real systemic change at any scale. There is great subversive power in happiness, leisure, and pleasure. Notably, many artists of color emphasize this notion in their work. Smile Now Cry Later is a reminder to arm yourself with a smile as you go into battle.
Based in New York and Los Angeles, Angelik Vizcarrondo-Laboy is a curator, writer, and arts administrator of contemporary art and craft, focusing on ceramics and amplifying the voices of artists of color. She serves as assistant curator at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD), New York.
angelikvizcarrondo.com | @angelik.wiki
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