Artist: Pepón Osorio

Pepón Osorio was born in Puerto Rico in 1955. His work is based on the work he did as a social worker. While he does a lot of art outside of the gallery, it is his installation work that has the most relevance to my work. His installations explore the idea of interior and personal spaces as being sacred places, while also discussing the community at large, by addressing ideas and memories he had as a child. He uses these memories and concepts he has of his own childhood and translates them as a universal language to connect with his audience. This is very similar to what I am striving to accomplish in my work through installation, though I don't want to go to the extremes he has gone to in his work. He recreates spaces, and fabricates entire spaces to communicate and connect with his audience.
His biography at the UCLA website
His biography on the Art:21 website
Left to right:
No Crying Allowed in the Barber Shop, 1994 Installation
Badge of Honor, 1995 Installation