Statement

I ultimately view printmaking as an authority, a reflection, and a conversation of the times we live in. Taking an enormous amount of inspiration from Mexican artists such as José Guadalupe Posada and Lola Alvarez Bravo, I am interested in the documenting a Hispanic experience that is nostalgic. 

I assemble the essence of this aesthetic with thought bubbles, bold linework, and wave forms of illustrative comic book imagery to create images depicting memories, characters, and myths to reflect ideas of evolution, redemption, and forgiveness. I believe the stories shared through art play a significant role in the preservation of culture and identity. The stories shared from my family are integral in the art making process, whether it be investigating old photographs or having conversations with my family about their colorful life in Guanajuato, Mexico, there is always something to appreciate. 

Ismael “Izzy” Izaguirre