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Peruvian Cholo Artist Paints In Chicago - English Version
November 13th, 2008 - Chicago, IL
*CHOLO ARTIST PAINTS IN CHICAGO
Written by: Ramón Machado Contreras - Correspondent in New York
Translated by: Jocelyn Avendano-Loza - Representative
Published on 08-11-2005
Alex Loza is a countryman in Chicago who honors Peru through his paintings which many Latin American and American clients who recognize his paintings for their unmistakable seal in the lines, color, the chiaroscuro (the arrangement of light and dark elements in a pictorial work of art) and the explosive emotions of their personages. At the beginning of the 2005 he has begun to work in sketches for new pictures that have titles with more Peruvianism accents than our popular dishes like "ceviche" or the "anticuchos :are a popular, inexpensive dish in Andean countries consisting of small pieces of grilled skewered meat. And while they can be made of any type of meat, the most popular type are made of cows heart (anticuchos de corazon)." "Peru en la Sangre - Peru in the Blood" series narrates the music, legends, myths and wealth of our country, Peru. Examples on his paintings, "I also call myself Peru", "The Best of the bunch", "Hero in the water", "they will Not touch neither the tip of the queue of my horse", etc.
In an interview with Cronica Viva from Chicago, the artist confessed that in the future he wishes to open a Gallery / Workshop, where he can help our Latin American youth so they can be educated on their Latino roots and history and to put in high the name of the land that saw him be born, Peru. "My goal with these paintings is primarily, to meet again face to face with my Peru, reap render its history, to teach and to educate the Peruvian-Americans and to call our brothers of North, Central and South America that know more about Peru".
Alex, was born a January 26, 1978 in the Clinic of The Immaculate one of the District of Jesus María of File, Peru. He spent his childhood in San Juan of Mira Flores Zone C and travelled to the United States in 1989 with his brother to be reunited with their father. In April of 1990 his mother joined them but unfortunate, "by unrecognizable differences, my parents were separated and my mother faced the challenge to raise us in an unfamiliar country.”
FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ART IN CHICAGO
"I continued my education at McGinnis Elementary in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, where I completed my seventh and eighth. In 1996 I graduated from Perth Amboy High School where in my last year I enrolled in art classes without knowledge that it would lead to my inclination to my career and passion". In September of 1996 I moved to the town of Berrien Springs, Michigan and attended Andrews University for three years. "There I found the person that would prepare me in facing the life of an artist, the master Harry Ahn,” who taught him after school hours. In March of the 1999 Harry Ahn, presented him to the American Academy of Art in Chicago, IL., one of the most renowned art schools of the United States, where many artists have graduated and have impacted the artistic world as: the "Santa Claus" of Coca-Cola, the logo of the grandfather from Quaker, the Super Heroes of Marvel Comics just to name a few.
Alex recalls that: "In September of 1999 I began my studies in the American Academy of Art. The objective of this school is to coach young artists to learn the techniques of the old teachers; this includes theory and science of the color, anatomy, drawing, and painting and to shape our models".
What's more, he managed to form part of the shows that the academy gave as: "The Best of American Academy and Juried Show" also represented to Peru for two years (2001 and 2002) in the "Hispanic Heritage Month", the LaSalle Bank and ABN AMRO presents each year. Though he graduated in August of 2002 he already was painting for clients in the Chicago area.
FINISHES PAINTING "HISPANIC ROLE MODELS”
He is currently working as a teacher’s assistant in "Socorro Sandoval Elementary School" in the south side of Chicago, IL where he is finishing a mural titled: "Hispanic Role Models". At hand, he says, “personalities, appearances have and are opening the doors for Latin Americans in the United States and shows that they (role models) are crusaders who have successfully broken the language barriers and their cultures.” Among these personalities that are highlighted on the rural are: The Guarachera Celia Cruz (singer), Glory Estefan, the professor Jaime Escalante, the Surgeon Antonia Novello, the astronaut Ellen Ochoa, the cultivator/activist Caesar Chavez, the actor Edward James Olmos, the reporter Jorge Ramos, the late singer Selena, the actor Antonio Banderas, the actress Salma Hayek, and the guitarist/songwriter/designer Carlos Santana.
Since 2002 he has been painting portraits for clients but in these moments he is focusing primarily on the Peruvian culture. "It can be told that I am illustrating Peruvian legends, myths, history and musicians", preserved Alex, who is an example of hard work and endeavors for thousands of Peruvians on how to reach big goals and a pride for Peru.
* Cholo: In Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador, Argentina, Chile and Colombia the word CHOLO is both an insult and a compliment, but mostly a way to describe a person of Indigenous heritage.