Juan Castillo

My project hasn’t changed much since I began working on it,
but some things have unexpectedly changed direction. For example, my idea for
the Christmas commentary piece has completely shifted from commenting on the
commercialization of that holiday, to a piece that questions our idea of
originality. That particular piece has turned into a very graphic work,
consisting of only two calculus expressions on a flat, white background. The
Christmas roots of the piece have not been lost, however. In an art history
class that I’m taking, we’re discussing Walter Benjamin’s concept of an artwork’s
aura. Part of what constitutes a work
of art’s aura, is its history. I
figure, if I choose Christmas colors (green and red) to allude to the original idea,
that will add to the story behind the piece and ultimately add to its aura.
The miscellaneous part of my project, about using the
painting as a way to capture things, has been used to capture the music of Bill
Evans. I enjoy listening to music while working, but I tend to gravitate toward
instrumental work. Hence, I end up listening to a bunch of jazz piano, and Bill
Evans is usually who I prefer. Lately, I’ve found comfort in his music, not
just as a way help pass time, but as a place, a familiar place, to comfort me
in an uncertain part of my life. Having temporarily found peace of mind through
his music on multiple occasions, I wanted to capture, not only his music, but
how I feel when listening to him play the piano. I’ve done some charcoal
drawings of Evans himself, and a couple of paintings on Masonite. In the
paintings, I tried to capture his music by holding acrylic tubes in each hand
and responding to one of his songs.