Title:
Foxy (Dogami Series)
folded steel and powder coating
Dimensions:
1.5 x 1.5 x 1.5 Feet - other sizes available
Born to teenage, Mexican-American gang members; I was abandoned at three months old and placed in a series of foster homes. Lost in a lifestyle of violence/drug abuse, I escaped by creating a playful world that evolved from origami cranes. In time my escape escaped me, I became the lifestyle with one reach: death. In its grasp, I found Calder’s massive, red-orange, Los Angeles sculpture, “The Four Arches”. He/it gave me a new reach: life. I decided I am not what happened to me, I am my response. I broke from the violence of my birth name “Gomez-Martinez” by choosing “Hacer” [Spanish verb: “To make”] and became a sculptor who designs/builds large-scale, metal, origami-inspired forms in bold, solid colors. It is the choice to be, as Calder and those like him, my part in a creative process that is bigger than me individually but impossible without the “me’s” collectively. As I learn to shape my work, afraid, I move forward through the familiar unknown and learn to re-shape myself, lessening the past’s grip. Like the dynamic, formative process hidden by my seemingly simple designs; my work’s simple existence aims to elicit a dynamic response about the viewer’s relationship to their formative process: childhood.Through this interaction, we [like I with Calder] can all begin anew.
- HACER
DESIGNED / FABRICATED – COMMISSION
"Education Gives You Wings to Fly" - Los Angeles Trade Tech College - a 2 ton, 14’, steel/powedercoat, origami Pegasus, Install: 8-10
“Eagle” – Los Angeles Trade Tech College – 8’ steel/patina, origami eagle, Permanent outdoor install: 2 - 07
"Dogami" – LA Parks & Rec - three 1 ton, 8’, steel/paint origami dogs - permanent outdoor park installation, financed by private donor, Install: 2012
FABRICATED – COMMISSION
"Tiat", The South West Museum/ Gene Autry Museum - 12’ steel, patina, recreation of a canoe used by the Native LA Indians - Install: 10 – 09
"Cross", The Goodsamaritan Hospital - a 7’ steel/patina, restoration of a cross on the nunnery’s roof circa1900’s Los Angeles, CA, Install: 12 – 10
EXHIBITIONS
“Hacer: Graph”, Groundfloor Gallery, LA CA www.groundfloorgallery.com 9-11
“Hacer”, Minotti, LA, West Hollywood, CA 310-278-6851 www.minotti-la.com 6-11
“Los Angeles Art Show”, David Lawrence Gallery Booth, LA, CA 310-278-0882 www.laartshow.com 1-11
“LACMA_LA Print: Edition 1 ”, Los Angeles County Museaum Of Art West, LA, CA 323-857-6000, www.lacma.org 12-10
“Face To Face On Metal”, ADC Contemporary Art Gallery, LA, CA 323-839-5786, www.adccontemporaryartgallery.com 12-10
“Source LA”, LA Mart, LA, CA 213-763-5813, www.lamartdesign.com 11-10
“Duality”, CB Gallery, LA, CA 11-10
“Hacer / Shire: 2 Sculptors, 2 Spots, 1 Show”, CB GALLERY, LA, CA 10-10
“Education Gives You Wings To Fly” [solo show] Los Angeles Trade Tech Foundation Gala, LA, CA 213-763-2000, www.lattc.edu, 10-10
“Metal Urges”, Avenue 50 Studio, LA, CA 323-258-1435, www.avenue50studio.com 6-10
“Not In My Backyard”, D.E.N Contemporary, LA, CA 323-422-6340 www.dencontemporaryart.com 5-10
“Art Is Me, Art Is You”, Korean Cultural Center, LA, CA 323-936-7141 www.kccla.org, 4-10
“Goddesses Then And Now”, Galleria Gitana SF, CA 818-898-7708 www.galeriagitana.com 4-10
“Gerardo Hacer: The Myth” PE Lofts Gallery LA, CA 213-627-5600 www.pelofts.com 3-10
“Here Is My Heart”, Avenue 50 Studio, LA, CA 323-258-1435, www.avenue50studio.com 2-10
“Holiday”, Avenue 50 Studio, LA, CA 323-258-1435, www.avenue50studio.com 12-09
“Dia De Los Muertos”, KGB Gallery, LA, CA, 323-224-1900 www.kgbla.com 10-09
“A Collectors Tardeada”, Avenue 50 Studio, LA, CA 323-258-1435, www.avenue50studio.com 8-09
"Lumis Day” Autry National Center South West Museum, LA, CA 323-221- 2164 www.theautry.org 5-09
“Arroyo Group Show” Autry National Center South West Museum, Ibid, 323-221-2164 www.theautry.org 4-09
“Movers and Shakers”, Salon Sessions Studios, Pasadena, CA 626-795-8856, www.salonsessions.com12-08
“The Group Show”, ” Freemont Gallery, Pasadena, CA 626-403-9901, www.Fremontgallery.com 11-08
“Gerardo Hacer and Robert Delgado” Freemont Gallery, Ibid, www.Fremontgallery.com 10-08
“JWCH 3rdl Hand/Heart Gala” Deborah Villar 213-484-1186, www.dvillar@jwchinstitute.org 11-07
“A Collectors Tardeada”, Avenue 50 Studio, LA, CA 323-258-1435, www.avenue50studio.com 8-07
“Gerardo Hacer”, solo show, Trade Tech College 213-763-2000, www.lattc.edu, 5-07
AWARDS
Los Angeles Trade Tech Aluminaries Award – Honor for inspiring alumni achievement - 2011
Los Angeles Trade Tech College Foundation Honoree – Honoree for donation of “Education Gives You Wings To Fly” - 2010
Los Angeles City Art Collection – Permanent Honorary Member for “Dogami” - 2009
GRANTS
SDOP [Self Development Of People] national Grant - 2010
SDOP [Self Development Of People] local Grant - 2010
LAOCB Community Beatification Grant, City Of LA - 2009
BROADCASTS
Art With Enyart - “Hacer”, online broadcast - 1-11
CBS 2/KCAL 9 News – “Pegasus Rolls Through Downtown” 8-10
Huell Howser’s California Gold - “Los Angeles Trade Tech” [show#112] - 08
So Cal News - “Metal Marvel” – 08
MAGAZINE PUBLICATIONS [ABRIDGED - SEE “PRESS” ON SITE]
Artillery Magazine – “Duality”, Curfew column, P. 26 2-11
Art Scene [Vol. 30 No. 5] – “Hacer and Jorge Albertella: Face To Face On Metal”, P. 24 http://www.artscenecal.com/articles/588-continuing-and-recommended-exhibitions-january-2011 1-11
Artillery Magazine – “Designs On Art”, P. 56, 10-10 http://www.artillerymag.com/archives/v5i1/quick-looks/quick-look-1.php 9-10
Los Angeles Times Local – “Pegasus” online www.latimes.com 8-10
LA Downtown News – “Grand Pegasus”, online http://www.ladowntownnews.com/articles/2010/09/01/news/doc4c7d6b07b0f04611678459.txt 8-10
CO-FABRICATED / FINISHED [ABRIDGED LIST]
“Untitled”- John McCracken, – a high-polished, stainless steel rectangular sculpture 12’ x 3’ x 3’, Carlon & Co, 2010
“White Curve”, Ellsworth Kelley – an aluminum fan-shaped sculpture with a high-gloss white finish 54’x 15’ x 10’, ibid., 2009
“Balloon Rabbit”, Jeff Koons – a high-polished, stainless steel rabbit sculpture 15’ X 10’ x 1’, ibid, 2009
“Party Hat” Jeff Koons – a stainless steel party hat 15’ x 15’ x 8’, ibid, 2009
“Fire Pits” - Simon Cowell [Malibu] – 9 stainless steel, crushed glass and granite fire pits 15“x 72”x 3”, Water Studios, 2009
“Water Wall“ - Disney Cancer Center [Burbank, CA] - panel, glass, brushed stainless steel, Granite water wall 25’ x 10’, ibid, 2008
“Healing Garden“ - Disney Cancer Center [Burbank, CA] - spiral rolled and brushed finished stainless steel water feature, 6’, ibid, 2008
“Water Pool” - Marriott Hotels [Boston, MA] copper, stainless steel and granite water pool, 15’ diameter, ibid, 2008
“Granite Wall” - City Of Hope – granite and brushed stainless steel water wall, 20’ X 10’, ibid, 2008
WORK HISTORY
Carlson & Co – Fabricator / Finisher www.carlsonandco.com 2009-2010
Water Studio – Fabricator www.wstudio.com 2008-2009
EDUCATION
Trade Tech College 2005-2009, Major: Structural Welding, Motorcycle Mechanics
El Camino 2009, Construction Technology [wood Furniture and cabinet design/fabrication]
Belmont High School 1995
REFERENCES
Dr. Roland Chapdelaine, President, LA Trade Tech College, 400 West Washington Blvd., LA, CA 90015, chapder@lattc.edu, (213) 763-5366
Pam Hanumm, Director, Autry National Center South West Museum, 234 Museum Drive LA, CA 90065, www.theautry.org, (323) 221-2164
661 sun valley road
post office box 3005
ketchum, idaho 83340
208.726.7585
fax 208.726.7586
