Jónathan Velázquez – a través de performance, escultura y en papel, su trabajo explora las posibilidades de celebridad y el poder de la performance. Cuando Jónathan canta y actúa, se siente seguro y vive el momento. Jonathan crea sus numerosos personajes artísticos basado en músicos y grupos con los que se identifica: su repertorio de artistas incluye a Michael Jackson, así como a Espinosa Paz, Los Tigres Del Norte y Daddy Yankee. El lanzamiento de su EP con baladas en español se encuentra en NIAD Sounds Recordings.En su práctica de dibujo, a Jónathan le gusta dibujar retratos de personas que son importantes para él, frecuentemente, incluye al personal de NIAD. El uso repetitivo de corazones en el pecho, refleja cuán especial es la persona representada para Jónathan. Jónathan prefiere dibujar con marcadores ya que le gustan los colores vivos. A travez de las películas, Jónathan explora y captura símbolos de su interés, tales como zombies, fantasmas y guantes.En su practica multidisciplinaria, ni la técnica ni el material artístico a utilizar son más importantes para Jónathan que los facilitadores con los que trabaja y su conexión con ellos. Cuando se le pregunta por qué le gusta trabajar con barro, menciona su agrado de trabajar en NIAD con ciertos facilitadores de cerámica y expresa “Me gusta estar cercano a otros artistas de NIAD.”Jonathan Velazquez’s work – in performance, sculpture and on paper – explores the possibilities of celebrity and the power of performance. When Jonathan sings and performs he feels confident and in the moment. Jonathan crafts his numerous artistic personas from musicians and bands that he connects with – his slate of performers include Michael Jackson as well as Espinosa Paz, Los Tigres del Norte, and Daddy Yankee. He has released an EP of his Spanish-language ballads on NIAD Sounds Recordings.In his drawing practice Jonathan likes to draw portraits of people that are important to him, frequently including NIAD staff. The recurring motif of hearts on his subjects’ chests reflects how special the person depicted is to Jonathan. Jonathan prefers drawing with markers, sharing that he likes bright colors. Often Jonathan likes to explore symbols he finds interesting from movies, such as zombies, ghosts and gloves.A multidisciplinary artist, the material he works with isn’t as important to Jonathan as the NIAD facilitator he’s working with and his connection to them. When asked why he likes working with clay, he references the NIAD ceramics facilitators he has enjoyed working with, saying simply “I like to be around other artists at NIAD.”
// Jonathan’s available work //
recent exhibition history
Roses are Red, or, See what Kitty can do without fighting the war? organized by Liam Golden // NIAD Online Exhibition // August 2023
Exploring Arts Through Sound // organized by NIAD artists Kiesha White, Rebecca Jantzen, and Luis Estrada // NIAD Annex Gallery Exhibition // June 2023
Into the Brightness: Artists from Creativity Explored, Creative Growth & NIAD // Oakland Museum of California // May 2023
Empty Kind Of Full, organized by Tara Neuffer // NIAD Online Exhibition // May 2023
Puzzles In Print organized by Delilah Ponton // NIAD Online Exhibition // February 2023
Subtle Sweetness organized by Jamie Walsh // NIAD Online Exhibition // January 2023
I Dreamt the Sun Was in My Bed Organized By SF State University’s Fall 2022 Exhibition Design Class // NIAD Online Exhibition // December 2022
Holiday Gift Guide // “Between Worlds” organized by Joey Enos // NIAD Online Exhibition // December 2022
What’s Cookin’?! ,organized by Terri Moore // NIAD Gallery Exhibition // November 2022
Told Through A Line, organized by Risa Lenore // NIAD Online Exhibition // September 2022
A New Geometry, organized by e bond // NIAD Online Exhibition // July 2022
Summer Break, organized by Matthew Goldberg // NIAD Online Exhibition // June 2022
Saves Nine, organized by Megan Kiskaddon // NIAD Online Exhibition // May 2022
DESIRE DESIRE, organized by Diego Leclery // NIAD Online Exhibition // April 2022
DreamForms, curated by Lauren Ari and Julio Del Rio // NIAD Online Exhibition // March 2022
Auctionauts // NIAD Online Exhibition // March 2022
WIN WIN 10 Silent Auction Preview Exhibition // NIAD Gallery Exhibition // February 2022
Innersense, ushered by Germán Herrera // NIAD Online Exhibition // January 2022
Holiday Gift Guide #5, organized by Dawline-Jane Oni-Eseleh // NIAD Online Exhibition // December 2021
A Kind of Movement // organized by Jay Wehnert Portland Art And Learning Studios 2019
L’Amérique N’Existe Pas // organized by Matthieu Morin Art Et Marges Museum Brussels 2019
Forests And Clearings // organized By Wayne Smith NIAD Art Center April 2019
Books, Man // organized by Mike Monteiro NIAD Art Center 2019
Redefining Contemporary Art // organized by Courtney Eldridge Depot Steamboat Springs 2019
Exquisite Corpse: CG x CE x NIAD // NIAD Art Center 2018
It’s Complicated // organized by Kathleen King NIAD Art Center 2018
Prints: An Overview NIAD Art Center 2018
Talking Heads // organized by Susan Alexander NIAD Art Center 2018
The Handmade // Rock Paper Scissors Collective Oakland 2018
The Genre Leaps // organized by Margaret Tedesco NIAD Art Center 2018
Reinventing History // NIAD Art Center 2018
Cyrano // organized By Em Kettner NIAD Art Center 2018
Can Did // organized By Julio Rodriguez NIAD Art Center 2018
All Of The Light // organized by Gina Borg NIAD Art Center 2017
The Witnesses // organized by Cliff Hengst and Scott Hewicker NIAD Art Center 2017
Virgins Vigining // organized by Micah Wood NIAD Art Center 2017
The Fourth Dimension // organized by Marja Galpin van der Loo NIAD Art Center 2017
Digital Art: The Power of the Pixel // Berkeley Central Arts Passage 2017
Handbills // NIAD Art Center 2017
Creature Feature // organized by John Casey NIAD Art Center 2017
Manila Institure Presents Video Screening At Rachel Uffner Gallery // organized by Rafael Delacruz Rachel Uffner Gallery New York 2017
Overloaded: Contemporary Art, Folk Art And Unique Objects // organized By Phil Linhares NIAD Art Center 2016
Immediate Family // NIAD Art Center 2016
Cities In Mind // organized by Kathleen King NIAD Art Center 2016
Snap! Photographs From NIAD // NIAD Art Center 2016
Hands and Pants 6 // Faultline Artspace Oakland 2016
Adventure! // organized by Scott MacLeod NIAD Art Center 2015
Absence of Deliberate Silence // organized by Lacey Haslam NIAD Art Center 2015
Assemble: A NIAD Art Center Project With Nina Zurier // organized by Nina Zurier NIAD Art Center 2015
Making Friends // organized by John Casey NIAD Art Center 2015
Musiquarium // NIAD Art Center 2015
Ebony + Ivory // organized by Katie Johnson NIAD Art Center 2014
Avatar // organized by Justine Frischmann NIAD Art Center 2014
Serenade: Lists, Poems And Missives // NIAD Art Center 2013
Championship Vinyl // NIAD Art Center 2013
A Light That Never Goes Out: Continuing Traditions In Abstraction // NIAD Art Center 2013
Mud, Honey // NIAD Art Center 2013
Superduperultracool Shoppe // organized by Lisa Solomon NIAD ART Center 2013
Color and Form // Jack Fischer Gallery San Francisco 2013
You Are Here // organized by Robert Wuilfe NIAD Art Center 2013
The Variety Show // Factory Outlet Gallery Mokulumne Hill 2012
special projects
Hands & Pants, collaboration with neurotypical artist John Casey 2015