Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you do.
chris velez
Sculpture BFA @ CSULB
New Genres MFA @ UCLA
Born in Long Beach, CA in 1990
LA based artist.
What are some recent, upcoming or current projects you are working on?
Recent Projects:
Solo Exhibition: ‘The Subleties of Levitate Things’ @ Xela Institute of Art
Current Projects:
Solo Exhibition: ‘Demuirgic Desire’ @ Cerritos College
Group Exhibition: Manual Override @ Good Mother Gallery
Upcoming Projects:
LA Art Book Fair 2025 (Inner Earth)
Solo Exhibition ‘Glowing With Fervor’ @ Torrance Art Museum
What is one of the bigger challenges you and/or other artists are struggling with these days and how do you see it developing?
Without speaking for other artists, one of the many challenges I encounter has to do with time. The idea of time as an issue ties in the multiple branches of hurdles and hoops we have to jump through. I have a family to take care of and provide for, so the idea of time includes the division of time between family, work, and producing art (and other art related tasks and obligations). The field of art is a complex and eerie space to inhabit, making its navigation a difficult task all on its own, which also requires time and diligence.
How do you see your work evolving in parallel to things that are going on around you right now?
To say I am not influenced by what is going on around me would be a lie. That being said, my work does not often directly pinpoint very specific events or subjects in real time. I tend to focus on a combination of the past, present and future, addressing a breadth of time and evolution of a subject. In a more literal sense, in terms of materials, techniques, technology, and tools I use in the production of my work tends to be heavily influenced by what is around me at the time. For example, if I am teaching at a University, the machines and resources of that institution find their way into my work. The same goes for times I’m working in a fabrication shop, a print shop, or whatever the job may be. I like to learn the ins and outs of the tools and industries I am exposed to and it influences my work both conceptually and physically.
How do you think your work operates in different contexts/environments?
How my work operates in different contexts and environments is something I pay very close attention to. Not necessarily meaning that I notice how my work operates after the fact (although I do observe and note how my work is received and how it operates after the fact), rather I consider the various arenas and settings my work will exist in prior or during the inception of the work or project. Whether that be an institution, the various types of galleries, an abandoned building, a digital space, a book or whatever the space may be. The setting and context of the art is a very important consideration to me, since I view art and art experiences to be an elevated form of communication, so all things involved in the process from conception to production to exhibition all contain vital decisions and considerations to optimize the exchange.
How do you go about sourcing materiality for your work? Does the concept come first?
To speak generally, the concept almost always comes first. Though there are instances that this is not the case. I tend to have multiple ways of operating within my practice. There is a longer form aspect in which the concept and subject come first which results in decisions of material, form, setting, and techniques that are made in response to uplift the concept. Another avenue in my practice is work that comes from sourcing, finding, or some attraction to an object, material, or image in which I act first, instinctively and freely without a hyper-conscious focus on the question of why (that question is reserved for later in the process). Often times in a work or exhibition of mine these two ways of making work end up converging.
How do you streamline your thoughts?
I am not sure if my thoughts are streamlined but what I can say is that I keep extensive notes and writing in all aspects of my practice. I meticulously organize my notes, texts, collected images, links, etc both digitally in folders, google docs, and google sheets as well as hand written notebooks. I am hyper-conscious of the media I consume during a specific time. For example, I want to watch this show, video or film but it is extremely off-subject to the work I am making. I will hold off and watch it when it is more relevant. In one way this is a way to cope with overstimulation from the media barrage but also a way to curate and mediate my influence, since my work often is investigating and deconstructing the subject of influence.
Do you ever consider yourself creating a narrative?
I do not, although I do utilize fiction, story telling, and myth in my work. I also acknowledge that a narrative will form whether I intend to or not.
How important is collaboration in your practice?
Collaboration in my practice is highly dependent on the subject, concept or specifics of a project. Some projects require or make more sense to involve collaboration, whether conceptually or practically.
Is there anything you’ve been reading that’s been influencing your work as of late?
In regards to reading specifically, books I am currently reading or have recently influenced my work would be: Techgnosis by Erik Davis, Flying Saucers: A Modern Myth of Things Seen in the Skies by Carl Jung. Authors I often refer back to are Deleuze, Catherine Malibou, Mark Fisher, Gene Wolf to name a few. So as far as reading I am usually influenced by philosophy, critical theory, science fiction and fantasy.
What was the last show you saw that stuck out to you?
I’ve been to a lot of shows in the interim but off the top of my head the last show that left a lasting impression on me was Mika Rottenberg @ Hauser & Wirth in 2022. Another show that comes to mind would be SEED by Brain Oakes @ Blade Study.
Does the space you show your work in ever affect any particular decision you make in the work itself?
I pretty much answered this in a previous question but in short yes. The space and context of an exhibition plays a significant role in the decision-making process of any given project. Since to me, all decisions and context hold various levels of meaning and all communicate something.
What are you really excited about right now?
I am excited to be healthy, have a happy and healthy family, and to be able to produce art as a major aspect of my life.
In regards to your making, what is something that you’ve always wanted to do and are working towards achieving it?
I have a lot of flushed out dream projects I keep a folder of on my computer. They are projects I am passionate about but would require significant collaboration and support for them to exist. Some are simply very large in scope or are film related which require a substantial amount of extra hands, support, collaboration and access.
Can you share one of the best or worst reactions you have gotten as a result of your work?
Due to the nature of my work, all reactions in which someone takes interest in the work, relates to it, or work that sparks any kind of dialogue (positive or negative) are very rewarding reactions. As far as worst reactions, that is tougher to pinpoint since even negative reactions are welcomed. In undergraduate school at one point I was in a painting BFA program. Some of my cohort hated my work, saying I wasn’t ‘painting’ and implored professors to give me failing grades, but I thought this was silly more than anything else and really just an indicator to switch to a more open program. A more recent example would be a show I had at a gallery at a college campus where a student confronted the curator addressing the fact that one of my works contained an AI generated image. They took offense to this, unaware of the context and purpose of the image and its production being a source of meaning. Considering my experience teaching at universities, I encounter this often with many works (not just my own). Again though, this is a positive interaction for many reasons. One reason being the work on some level is causing the viewer to think critically and to question things, which is an important aspect to my work. It could also lead to productive teaching moments for the student as well as myself. Real-time, real-life, face to face dialogue is a positive to me either way.
Interview conducted and edited by Liam Owings