Rafa Esparza

Rafa Esparza (born in 1981) is an American artist who lives in Los Angeles.^[1] His work often takes the form of physically exhaustive performances and installations constructed out of adobe bricks. Esparza also frequently works with collaborators, including members of his family.^[2][3] Esparza has exhibited in several public parks, nightclubs, sidewalks, galleries, and museums in Los Angeles and internationally.^[4][5][6]

Early life and education

Esparza was born in Los Angeles, California to Mexican parents.^{[7] [8][9]} He attended East Los Angeles College, in his early twenties, followed by UCLA.^{[10] [11]}

Work and Career

For his participation in the 2016 Made in LA Biennial at the Hammer Museum Esparza created "Tierra," a field of adobe bricks created from the dirt from Los Angeles. The artist's sculptures and objects were buried and unearthed in Elysian Park a historical site of displacement of early Latinx communities, Palo Verde, La Loma, and Bushop awhile creating the bricks were exhibited on the expanse of adobe bricks.^[12][13][14]

Esparza performed in Dorian Wood's "O" video.^[15] The two artist's have performed together several times including at the Sepulveda Wildlife Basin.^[16][17]

In 2014 Esparza received an Art Matters grant and a California Community Fund Artist Fellowship.^[18][19]

Esparza was included in the 2017 Whitney Biennial.^[20] For the exhibition he created "Figure Ground: Beyond the White Field"; a gallery made of adobe bricks inside the museum.^[21] The adobe room, which was made with dirt from Los Angeles River, was used as an exhibition space by other LA-based Latino artists that Esparza invited to participate. ^[22]

References

External links

• Official website
• Anotherrighteoustransfer.wordpress.com