Creator Spotlight
Creator Spotlight – Tuto
Aug
One of the first times I met Erick (TUTO) Dominguez he was standing in the middle of HGAB Studios painting a ‘Savage’ on the wall. This is what he called the mural he was working on at the time, which seemed to depict some sort of Wolf-God carved from an enchanted log.
Themes like this which portray nature and natural organisms as some sort of magical deity, are common in Dominguez’s work. He describes his style of Art as ‘Jibaro’, which is the word used in his native home of Puerto Rico to refer to people from the countryside who farm the land in a traditional way. He once said to me that he felt like humans of this day and age treated nature as if they were watching it through a TV screen. They appreciated it, but they somehow saw themselves as separate from it.
In his most recent work, Tuto has been greatly influenced by oriental art and primary colors. This is his own personal ode to one of the most traditional and ancient styles of painting in the world. By using primary colors, it is as if he is bringing us back to basics and re-addressing themes that have been gradually swept under the rug by society. Environmentalism, Sexuality, Imperialism etc. are all themes which Tuto has become familiar with throughout his career.
Growing up, the women in Tuto’s family also played a huge role in his development as an artist. Because of this, the female forms in Tuto’s art are goddess-like creatures who are at the forefront of most of his pieces. Their bodies, which are capable of creating and sustaining life, are painted unapologetically and represent a clear symbol of strength and abundance; another popular theme in Tuto’s work. Many of his most recent pieces feature women who are completely unclothed and stare at the viewer directly in the eyes. Another example of how the artist drives home his controversial message.
Like all artists, Tuto continues to evolve and work on his craft. His latest series is titled ‘Primary’ and will be showcased in early 2020. In our case, it has been a truly unique experience to get to know Tuto as an artist nd see his work develop before our very eyes. Currently HGAB Studios is home to multiple pieces by Tuto and we hope to house many more!
At HGAB Studios we aim to encourage and nurture every type of creative. Inspired by artists like Tuto, creative freedom is at the root of everything we do and we would like to invite you to explore your own creative boundaries. Visit the rest our page to discover other Creators we have highlighted in the past, as well as artist workspaces and photo, video and podcast studios available for your next creative project.
