Art Exhibit: Quarantine the Past: Allegories of the Self by Joel Javier

Working synchronously between self-expression and exploring the senses of sound and sight, Joel Javier's work is multilayered and automatic (with no true means to an end)—a metaphor for his lifelong pursuit of his identity as a first-generation Filipino American. He is a minority of minorities, with roots from a Filipino working-class family settling in Kentucky, who migrated from the Philippines—a third world country that is comprised of a rich blend of cultures from Southeast Asia, over 400 years of Spanish colonization, and, subsequently in the first half of the 20th century, American occupation.

This body of work are reflections and refractions of his time in quarantine during the first year of the global pandemic. They range in equal parts calming meditation and color exploration (zen drawings) and physical action projected in bold abstract expression (paintings). His working style also can be attributed to his interest in modern classical and post-rock compositions, like melodies that are at times light and subdued and other times heavy and frenetic in pace—energies that have guided him in his own journey of self-identity, and meditation practices.

This exhibition is intended to celebrate Asian American voices during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Through arts education and his own studio practice, Javier continues to be an advocate for equity, diversity, and opportunity in the arts.

About the artist
Joel Javier is an accomplished artist and art educator with over fifteen years of experience in the museum and art education field, he has a passion for mentoring youth and integrating art into school curriculum. After earning his MA in Art Education from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Javier has administered and facilitated education programming at the Art Institute of Chicago, the Smart Museum of Art, and Intuit: Center for Intuitive and Outsider Art, where he was instrumental in expanding public programming and advancing an award-winning fellowship program for Chicago Public School teachers. He currently lives, works, and plays in his studio in Oak Park.