[May - Jun 2022]

Proverbia

by Lisa Saldivar, Oliver Casillas, and Francisco Morales

Walk In gallery’s third exhibition invites you to explore the works of Francisco Morales, Lisa Saldivar, and Oliver Casillas. This group show is a series of artworks that examine the oral tradition of Mexican dichos, refranes, and proverbios. The artists use these proverbs to reflect on their historical origins, the artist’s personal relationship with the sayings, and the collective understanding of the sayings which have become commonplace in everyday conversations.

The artists in this group show are of varying degrees of Mexican descent - meaning that their experience ranges from natural-born Mexican to being Americans of Mexican descent through one or more generations. The work is an opportunity to reflect on proverbs and sayings that have become so part of the colloquial that they have become second nature. 

The oral tradition of proverbs and sayings predates Mexico’s conception. In this exhibition, you will see the artists’ reinterpretations of these sayings. It is important to highlight that most of these proverbs go back to the Hispanic traditions of Spain and some even go back as far as 300 BC. 

  • Francisco Morales

    Francisco Morales is a Latinx illustrator, designer and muralist from Los Angeles, CA and is currently based in Portland, Oregon. He has a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Oregon State University and has gained regional recognition for his illustrative design work. He is a graphic designer at Nike and has collaborated with many local musical artists and businesses. His personal work is an exploration and reflection of his dual identity as an American of Mexican descent.

  • Lisa Saldivar

    Lisa Saldivar is a visual artist and designer from Houston, Texas and currently lives between Portland, Oregon and Mexico City. In 2019, she completed her masters in Design Studies from Centro de Diseño, Cine y Televisión. She has over 4 years experience as a Creative Director and 10 years as a graphic designer and illustrator. 

    As a visual artist, her work is based in cultural identity of Latinx Americans and how this relationship affects the culture in the US; through oppression and how we can transform suffering into hope. In the summer of 2019, she traveled through Mexico to paint murals in memory of the 283 people who passed away crossing the border in 2018.

  • Oliver Casillas

    Let me introduce myself, I am Oliver Casillas, mexican-american artist. I have studied the arts since an early age, raiding through painting, sculpture and ceramics in my first years of preparation. I graduated with honors from the mechanical engineering degree of the Western Superior Studies University, ITESO, a Mexican Jesuit University, where I had the opportunity to obtain a diploma in Ceramics taught by internationally awarded professors as well as courses in plastic arts, painting and drawing. I also matriculated myself in the "Université de Namur" in Belgium where I got enrolled in the master's course of Techniques and Methods of Creativity. 

    Currently and for more than 5 continuous years, I have dedicated myself exclusively to art. I am currently involved in a project named "We Art Here" which aims, through art, to raise awareness about the social and environmental problems we face in this era, this has led me to collaborate as an artist in various similar projects, supporting with my illustrations and artistic works movements of protest and social struggle, such as the Mexico Climate Action project (Accion Climatica Mexico), University ITESO, the Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA), The Immigration Affairs Program (PRAMI) among others, showing my roots and interpretation of our reality through my art. Another one of my work activities that has the greatest impact, is the realization of mural paintings in urban areas which have been forgotten, aiming, through the collaborative creation of a mural, to rebuild the social fabric of the community, generate collective identity and appropriate of abandoned public spaces, thus generating a better quality of life for the neighbors and inhabitants of the artistically intervened area.

  • Al mal músico, hasta las uñas le estorban.

    To the bad musician, even their nails get in the way.

    Francisco Morales

    Inkjet Print on Archival Photo Rag

    24" x 34"

    $450.00 USD

  • Arriba ya del caballo hay que aguantar los reparos.

    On top of the horse you have to put up with the setbacks that may occur

    Oliver Casillas

    Charcoal & Acrylic on Canvas

    $750.00 USD

  • A comer, beber, bailar y gozar, que el mundo se va acabar

    Micheladas w Beast

    Lisa Saldivar

    Acrylic, Pigment

    40cm x 50cm, enmarcado

    $650 USD

  • Aguila no caza mosca.

    Eagles don't hunt flies.

    Francisco Morales

    Inkjet Print on Archival Photo Rag

    14” x 12”

    $275.00 USD

  • Antes de que tomes casa donde morar, mira su vecindad.

    Before you take a home to dwell in, look at your neighborhood

    Oliver Casillas

    Acrylic on Canvas

    $600.00 USD

  • Beber y comer, son cosas que hay que hacer.

    Cheetos Original

    Lisa Saldivar

    Acrylic, Pigment

    50cm x 40cm, enmarcado

    $650 USD

  • A quemar las naves.

    Burn the Ships (forward with no return).

    Francisco Morales

    Inkjet Print on Archival Photo Rag

    20” x 14”

    $325.00 USD

  • ¿Dónde es tu tierra? Donde la pases, no donde naces.

    Where is your land? Where you are, not where you were born.

    Oliver Casillas

    Digital Screen Printing

    $300.00 USD

  • Corazón alegre, sabe hacer fuego con la nieve.

    Bonfire

    Lisa Saldivar

    Acrylic, Pigment

    50cm x 40cm, enmarcado

    $650 USD

  • No habiendo enemigo en frente, todo mundo es muy valiente.

    With no enemy in front, everyone is very brave.

    Oliver Casillas

    Díptico, Two pieces of Charcoal & Acrylic on Canvas

    $450.00 USD

  • Donde hubo fuego, cenizas quedan

    Temezcal

    Lisa Saldivar

    Acrylic, Pigment

    40cm x 50cm, enmarcado

    $550 USD

  • Andando el diablo de ocioso se fue a andar de chismoso.

    The devil being idle, he went to gossip.

    Oliver Casillas

    Digital Screen Printing

    $200.00 USD

  • Más sabe el diablo por viejo que por diablo.

    The Devil knows more for being Elder rather than for being The Devil.

    Oliver Casillas

    Digital Screen Printing

    $200.00 USD

  • Como te ves me vi, como me ves te verás.

    As you see yourself I saw myself, as you see me you will see yourself.

    Oliver Casillas

    Digital Screen Printing

    $200.00 USD

  • A otra cosa mariposa.

    Border

    Lisa Saldivar

    Acrylic, Pigment

    50cm x 40cm, enmarcado

    $650 USD

  • El que entre lobos anda, a aullar aprende.

    If you get along with wolves, you'll learn how to howl.

    Oliver Casillas

    Charcoal & Acrylic on Canvas

    $750.00 USD

  • Bailar con la más fea.

    Rituales Desconocidos

    Lisa Saldivar

    Acrylic, Pigment

    30cm x 40cm

    sold

  • Pintar su raya.

    Bathroom Selfie

    Lisa Saldivar

    Acrylic, Pigment

    30cm x 40cm, enmarcado

    $550 USD