Opening Reception - A Realm for Reflection

Join us for the opening reception of A Realm For Reflection, a solo exhibit by Sebastian Gonzalez curated by Jessica Hernandez.

RSVP here!

Curator's Statement:
In A Realm for Reflection, Sebastian Gonzalez contributes to broader conversations on climate change by examining specific sites of environmental transformation using digital media. Whether focusing on the bacterial makeup of the Charles River in Boston, the melting glaciers of the Tolima volcano in Colombia, or rising sea levels around coastal cities, Gonzalez's body of work calls attention to dramatic shifts in topography and worrisome variations in climate. Yet in addition to highlighting various transnational environmental concerns, Gonzalez finds ways to more closely involve the viewer, and himself, in the work – going beyond simply identifying our role in manufacturing the crisis, and instead facilitating a closer engagement with the content, the digital media that articulates it, and the outdoor spaces that many of works were presented in initially.

While the exhibit generally illustrates how visual art can add to existing climate discourses, it might also suggest that digital media is particularly equipped for this project. Using outdoor projections, performance, and interactive media, Gonzalez demonstrates the way the digital can communicate data-based markers of climate change as well as the more symbolic, affective, and speculative contours of these realities. And by incorporating these elements, Gonzalez produces work that is both informative and introspective – fostering experiences that within our current context of climate urgency, might force us to make that crucial link between feeling and tangible action.

Artist's Biography:
Sebastian Gonzalez’s work focuses on climate change and environmental issues using moving image, video projection, interactive media, and site-specific interventions. He was raised in Bogotá, Colombia, where he earned a B.A. in psychology and a graduate certificate in photography at Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sebastian also holds an MFA in Film & Video from Massachusetts College of Art and Design, where he taught as adjunct faculty for the Film/Video and Studio Foundation departments. He is currently a PhD student in Interdisciplinary Design and Media at Northeastern University.

Featured Work: E-DUST (2023).

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UVA’s Overlook Gallery is located at 175 Washington St., Brighton, MA -- inside of the large historically preserved church. The gallery is on the lower level of the building. There is an accessible ramp in the rear of the building and an elevator inside.

Garage Parking: Drive a short distance past the main entrance of the old church (175 Washington St., Brighton). After a slight downhill, the garage door will be on the left. You can park anywhere except those marked "reserved." Exit the garage using the doors right next to the garage entrance, follow the exit signs.