Con Cariño
by Guadalupe Hernandez
Guadalupe Hernandez is a Texas-based artist who earned his MFA from Houston Baptist University in 2021. Hernandez was born in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, before relocating to Pleasanton, TX, a small city south of San Antonio, in 1998. Despite the move to the United States, Hernandez maintained a deep connection to his Mexican heritage and customs through time-honored familial traditions.
This exhibit pays homage to his parents who left their homeland in search of a brighter future for their family. The accompanying pieces in this collection weave together fragments of their journey and the various forms of labor they undertook to provide their children with the opportunities they were denied.
Con Cariño translates to
“with love” or
“with care”
Central to Hernandez’s practice is the use of chisels and punches, which wield a dual significance in this body of work. The physicality of using the chisel—he believes—mirrors the repetitive and labor-intensive endeavors of his parents. The level of skill, precision, and care required to produce these delicate designs serve as a visual representation of his love and admiration for the sacrifices his parents made.
A few of Hernandez's most recent accomplishments include the Nest Heritage Craft Prize for his efforts to preserve and push forward the Mexican folk art tradition of Papel Picado and being a visiting artist for the Art Students League of Denver. He was also notably among six pairs of visual artists in the 2022 US Latinx Art Forum Mentorship Program, supporting an intergenerational skill exchange. He has also participated in artist residencies with institutions such as the Asia Society Texas Center and Houston Center for Contemporary Craft.
Con Cariño will be on display at the Ellen Noël Art Museum from August 23rd, 2024 - December 1st, 2024.
The Museum is open Tuesday-Sunday from noon until 5pm, extended hours on Thursdays until 8pm.
Admission is always free.