Act Your Age, But At 5.

I never understood the whole "Act your age" thing. Even as a little kid my favorite depictions of adults were those that never lost their sense of play. Wether that be through art, occupation, demeanor, or even outlook I have never once believed that losing your ability to play was a good thing. 

I was struck by a shared sense of play when I was flipping through an issue of Juxtapose, an art magazine dedicated to the emerging artists of all walks. In this issue they covered an artist by the name of Carlos Rodriguez, a painter and ceramicist who focuses his lens to the innocent, playful nature of both queer sexuality and the tenderness of growing up as such. His depictions of man are akin to what you'd find in a children's book. Exaggerated noses, smiling animals, and playful scenes of shared joy. 

Costumbres Amorosas de los Animales (The Loving Habits of Animals)

What strikes me as so beautiful and chaotic about these paintings is both the sureness of the man, as in a direct contrast to the depictions of queer life we usually recognize. This work conveys the happiness and confidence that's often lost within queer narratives. There is no shame in an exposed penis, there are no strange looks, and the sexual nature of the body is stripped as being just another part of the body. Things are playful, and they convey love and the exploitation of sexuality through play. 

Costumbres Amorosas de los Animales (The Loving Habits of Animals)

Carlos remarks on his innocent depictions as an artist as being a personal telling of truth to the human experience as well as the queer experience. Though life is hardly ever predictable, the work he does strives to convey the vulnerable and beautiful nature of existence even in instances where things are not as innocent as they seem.