Art Gallery Presents UTB Graduate Review Exhibition Featuring

Mauricio Saenz

The Black Life

Brownsville, TX – The Art Gallery in the Rusteberg Building is proud to present emerging artist Mauricio Saenz, alumni from the University of Texas at Brownsville with his latest collection titled “The Black Life”.  Mauricio quotes “I intend to display a recently produced series of painting- installations set in triptychs and shaped as coffins called ‘The Black Life’, evolving around different concepts on death and how it is perceived in many ways.  I will also be showing some series of digital prints that are consistent with the theme of death as well as video art and an additional installation that will complement the works of ‘The Black Life’ series”.

·        Opening reception, Tuesday, June 17, 2008, 6:30- 8:30 PM

·        The Art Gallery in the Rusteberg Building at UTB/TSC

·        Exhibition runs from June 17 to June 28, 2008

·        Admission: $1.00

·        All Art Majors: Free admission

For more information, please contact Marivel Graham at gallery@utb.edu or call (956) 882-7097. Please check out our website http://blue.utb.edu/artgallery/

Artist Statement:

 Mauricio Saenz

Death as a state of mind; just as a black life and its environment.  Rather than just being conceived as the end of life, death derives in a variety of ideas and bursts out in mixed feelings that make it a complex concept waiting to be explored.  A rare fascination and natural obsession has been the force that has drawn me to set a closer relationship with this theme.  Death persists as a constant thought in my everyday life appealing both aesthetically and intellectually. 

“The Black Life” is a collection including a series of coffin-shaped painting-installations, plus additional series of digital prints and video art evolving around diverse ideas on death.  This collection is an introspective view on how the so-called end of a path proves to open up roads leading to discover rare beauty, reflection, irony and enigma over it.

Mauricio Saenz obtained his BA in Studio Art degree at the University of Texas at Brownsville. Saenz is currently doing post-graduate studies and has recently exhibited in selected group shows in San Antonio, Kingsville, and El Paso in Texas; Tampico in Mexico and by August will be having his first solo exhibit in Mexico City.  For more on his work visit www.myspace.com/mauricio_saenz.