Interventions: Julio Gonzalez

February 1 - February 28, 2021

Mint Museum Randolph

About

Charlotte artist Julio Gonzalez reminds us of the legacy of the Mayan people by creating contemporary art that draws on their culture and traditions.

Born in Atlanta to a father of Mexican Aztec descent and a mother of Honduran Maya ancestry, Gonzalez has sought to reclaim this cultural heritage through his work. Attracted to the graphic forms and vivid line work of their glyphs, Gonzalez focused on his Maya heritage. Mining the resources of the Mint Museum, he examined the ceramics in the galleries and studied the copies of the codices held in the library until he was able to build on the pictorial language and cultural practices embodied by these objects. He adapted Maya to the forms of contemporary popular culture, so his drawings are graffiti instead of steles and temple friezes, while his headdresses are knit hats.

In these galleries, Gonzalez’s recent work is displayed alongside earlier examples of Maya culture. Sharing space, the ancient and new perpetuate a cycle of rejuvenation inherent to all vibrant cultures.

Locations

Julio Gonzalez’s installation for Interventions can be found in the “Art of the Ancient Americas” collection on the second floor of Mint Museum Randolph

  • Emergence #3, 2016, Mixed media on wood
  • Venganza, 2020, from The Scribe Series, Watercolor and ink on paper. Courtesy of the artist
  • Amuleto, 2020, from The Scribe Series, Watercolor and ink on paper. Courtesy of the artist
  • Quetzalcoatl, 2020, from The Scribe Series, Watercolor and ink on paper. Courtesy of the artist
  • Saliendo de la Cueva, 2020, from The Scribe Series, Watercolor and ink on paper. Courtesy of the artist
  • Cumpleaños, 2020, from The Scribe Series, Watercolor and ink on paper. Courtesy of the artist
  • Vive tu Sueño, 2020, from The Scribe Series, Watercolor and ink on paper. Courtesy of the artist
  • Tree of Life, 2020, Wool. Courtesy of the artist
  • Itzamná, 2015, Wool. Courtesy of the artist
  • Ah Puch, 2018, Wool. Courtesy of the artist
  • Two copies of the Gonzalez Pocket Codex, 2020, Ink on paper and artificial fur. Courtesy of the artist
  • Gonzalez Codex, 2018, Ink on paper and 3D printed plastic resin mounted on wood. Courtesy of Cassie Brown & John Cornely
  • Facsimile of Codex Peresianus (Codex Paris), 1968, Published Akademische Druck-u.Verlagsanstalt, Graz, Austria. Mint Museum Library Gift of Dr. Francis Robicsek

Also on View