Michael Menchaca is a multidisciplinary artist who utilizes Meso-American art historical imagery to address contemporary issues. Codex Animations highlights two video works, including Enter the Border, a new animation incorporating footage from the level design process for an upcoming video game Menchaca is creating.
Artist Statement
Using the framework of an ancient Meso-American codex, I aim to preserve cultural events through invented mythology. I use animal archetypes to tell stories of class inequality, civil rights cases, and the distribution of privileges within the Americas. Narrative pattern designs influenced by multiple cultural histories set the stage for my compositions; while recurring motifs encourage multiple interpretations. I exhibit my work in immersive installations that apply a combination of printmaking, painting, and digital animation.
Michael Menchaca (San Antonio, TX) has a Master of Fine Arts in printmaking from the Rhode Island School of Design (2015). He exhibits his work nationally and has participated in artist residencies including Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, Maine; Vermont Studio Center, Vermont; Segura Arts Studio, Indiana; and the Serie Project, Texas. His work has been featured at a number of museums and institutions including: The Contemporary, Austin, Texas; The Crystal Bridges Museum of Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Gilcrease Museum; Tulsa, Oklahoma; RISD Museum, Providence, Rhode Island; and the International Print Center New York, New York. Fellowships include the Fine Arts Work Center (2015–2016), and the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures Leadership Institute (2018). He currently lives and works in San Antonio, TX.
Find out more about Menchaca and his work at michaelmenchaca.com.
Images: (above) Michael Menchaca, still image from Enter the Border, 2018, Digital animation, 3 minutes 13 seconds; (below) Michael Menchaca, still image from Codex Heterogeneous, 2013, Digital video, 8 minutes 8 seconds
