A conversation with Visiting Artist-in-Residence, Kandy G. Lopez

A new exhibition opens in our True F. Luck Gallery on Wednesday, November 13. Presented by the Visual Arts Center of Richmond and Crafting The Future, The Shape of Water features the works of nine BIPOC artists exploring the embodiment of the human form, connection to land, and the act of leaving impressions, both conceptual and tangible.

In October, we had the privilege of hosting artist Kandy G. Lopez as a Visiting Artist-in-Residence here at VisArts. Lopez’s artwork will be on view in this exhibition—among the likes of April Bey, Sam Christian, Gabrielle Ione Hickmon, Hong Hong, Aryana Minai, Cedric Mitchell, Jomo Tariku, and Felandus Thames—several of which were created while in her residency.

Reflecting on her month-long residency and in anticipation of The Shape of Water’s opening, we sat down with Lopez to discuss these new works, her practice, and her experience being a part of this group exhibition.

VisArts: Can you tell us a bit about the works you created while in your residency at VisArts?

Kandy G. Lopez: I created four 5’ x 8’ works: Brandon 3.0, Invisible Brandon 3.0, Sheldon, and Invisible Sheldon.

Brandon 3.0 is a portrait of my husband created out of yarn with a painted cityscape on the hook mesh ground. Invisible Brandon 3.0 is the negative, the shadow, the remains. The pieces together work as a pair where the visibility of one is the invisibility of the other—or the after effect of presence.

 

Sheldon takes part in the same conversation. In this work, Sheldon is surrounded by royal purple, a color that reflects the holiest of days in religion, considered highbrow. It also happens to be Sheldon’s favorite color, evident by his chosen outfit for the portrait.

Both pieces are depictions of Black men in America: their stories, their experiences, their power, and their strength in vulnerability.

How do you go about selecting individuals to feature in your work? Are they always people you know, or are they sometimes strangers?

Swagger—I feature people whom I personally have a spiritual connection with. Sometimes I know what I want to say, and I think about which model connects to that message; other times, people stop me in my tracks by their presence randomly. I then get to know them, and they become immortalized in the artwork.

You’ve shared that your work represents the marginalized folks that inspire and move you. How is your own identity entwined with your work?

I’m representing people who look like me or feel like home. They’re “ordinary” people who are extraordinary in their own way. I like to depict people who are not seen, in one way or another, in spaces that influence the community at large.

What do you hope visitors take away from experiencing your work in the group exhibition, The Shape of Water?

Connection, nostalgia, goosebumps, appreciation, love, visibility….feelings.

Did you get to explore anything new while at VisArts?

During my residency, I experimented with glass—working with fused glass and incorporating fiber into glass. It was an insightful experience, one that I have brought back into the studio to continue my exploration of these techniques.

Is there anything else you’d like our community to know ?

I’m honored to be featured among such inspiring artists, and I’m so excited to experience the exhibition in person. 🙂