Jason Villegas
Jason Villegas is currently a New York City based contemporary artist. He has exhibited across the United States and internationally. Villegas' work utilizes a wide spectrum of mediums including sculpture, installation, painting, drawing, textile, video and performance. He has created his own artistic realm and visual language in which to explore concepts such as globalism, evolution, sexuality, cosmology, and consumerism. Motifs in Villegas' artworks include fashion logos, animal hybrids, weaponry, sales banners, clothing piles, anuses, cosmic debris, taxidermy, bear men, amorphous beasts, religious iconography, and party scenarios.
Phantom Sightings
Jason Villegas was a part of the traveling group exhibition Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement, curated by Rita Gonzales, Howard Fox, and Chen Noriega. Beginning at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art in 2008, the exhibit toured for two years including renowned spaces such as, the Tamayo Museum in Mexico City, El Museo del Barrio in New York City, the Phoenix Art Museum in Arizona, Museo de Arte de Zappopan in Guadalajara, and the Museo Alameda in San Antonio. His selected work "Celestial Situation" featured a wall mural of painting and drawing depicting planetary spheres of cosmic clutter involving a video projection of animated 2D artworks onto a drawing of compressed entertainment electronics and media. The animation reveals a consumption cosmology of anuses, amorphous beasts, and a rotund man watching television.Education
Villegas earned his MFA in 2007 at the Mason Gross School of Art at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, NJ and his BFA in 2003 at the University of Houston in Texas.Exhibitions
Solo exhibitions
2009
- Perspectives: 167 Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, TX
- Botched Simulacrum McClain Gallery Houston, TX
2008
- Hunter Gatherer Receiver Gallery San Francisco, CA
- Cosmic Slut Gescheidle Chicago, IL
- Impish Animal Okay Mountain Austin, TX
2007
- G*D Project Gallery New Brunswick, NJ
2006
- Forever Developing Shrine Plush Dallas, TX
- Repressed Burial Fantasy Okay Mountain Austin, TX
2005
- Ultrabastard: marketing seminar Cactus Bra Space San Antonio, TX
- Absolute Destiny Apocalypse Deborah Colton Gallery Houston, TX
- Growth Hormone Mutation Make-Over Plush Dallas, TX
2004
- Beast Taxidermy CSAW Houston, TX
2003
- Romantic Poverty & Hunger Pains Montgomery College Conroe, TX
Group exhibitions
2010
- Joni Kathleen Cullen Gallery, NYC, NY
- Emerging Artist Fellowship Socrates Sculpture Park, Long Island City, NY
- Head and Pole Western Exhibitions Chicago, IL
- Global National Exit Art NYC, NY
- Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement El Museo del Barrio, NYC
2009
- Aparaciones Fantasmales Museo de Arte de Zappopan, Guadalajara, MX
- Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement Phoenix Art Museum AZ
- Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement Alameda Museum San Antonio, TX
2008
- Aparaciones Fantasmales Museo Ruffino Tamayo, Mexico City
- Phantom Sightings: Art After the Chicano Movement LACMA Los Angeles, CA
- Children in Heat Lawndale Art Center Houston, TX 2007 Art Club Gescheidle Chicago, IL
- The Paul Nudd Curatorial Experience Western Exhibitions Chicago, IL
- Eyes Wide Open El Museo Del Barrio / The Armory New York, NY
- The Dams 2 / Las Represas Universidad del Sagrado Corazón Puerto Rico
- Object UT at Dallas, TX 2006 Manic & Wasted Swing Space NYC, NY
- Debut The Texas Firehouse LIC, NY
- Stop Trashing Houston Versionfest Chicago, IL
- La Frontera Gescheidle Chicago, IL
2005
- Young Latino Artists #10 Mexic Arte Museum Austin, TX
- Artadia Houston Diverseworks Houston, TX
- I-10 a Postmodern Route 66 McClain Gallery Houston, TX
- New Cartoon Deborah Colton Gallery Houston, TX
- Woods Negative Space Houston, TX
2004
- Temporary Contemporary The Orange Show Houston, TX
- Sloppy Slobbering Monster The Bank Kansas City, MO
- In Situ Allen's Landing Houston, TX
- Camp Lucky Summer of Carnage Deborah Colton Gallery Houston, TX
- Brothers Fresh up Club Austin, TX
- New American Talent 19 ArtHouse Austin, TX
2004
- Brave New World McClain Gallery Houston, TX
2003
- Animals ArtCar Museum Houston, TX
- The Big Show Lawndale Art Center Houston, TX
- Dallas vs. Houston Plush Gallery Dallas, TX
- Trailer Park Deer Park, TX
2002
- The Big Show Lawndale Art Center Houston, TX
2001
- Friendly Mart Quick Stop Houston, TX
Awards
2010
- Lower Manhattan Cultural Council Workspace Studio
- Socrates Sculpture Park Emerging Artist Fellowship
2007
- Vermont Studio Center Nadine Goldsmith Fellowship
2004
- Artadia Houston Grant Finalist
Publications
2011
- Boro Magazine "Art Imitates Life"
2010
- ArtLies January
2009
- Houston Chronicle "Jason Villegas casts animal logos as invasive species" by Douglas Britt August
- Houston Press "Perspectives 167: Jason Villegas" by D.L. Groover October
- Houston Press "Polo by Jason Villegas" by Kelly Klassmeyer October
2008
- LACMA Phantom Sightings: Art After The Chicano Movement exhibition catalog by Howard Fox, Rita Fox
- LA Times Phantom Sightings: Art After The Chicano Movement
2007
- Art in America "Jason Villegas at Dallas" by Charles Dee Mitchell May
2006
- Cantanker Magazine “Okay Mountain: Jason Villegas” by Cherie Weaver May
2005
- Glasstire: Texas Visual Art Online "Tire Iron 52" by Bill Davenport July
- Austin American-Statesman “An exhibition of latino art-whatever that may be” by Jeanne Claire van Ryzia August
- Dallas Observer “Growth Hormone Mutation Make-over” by Charrissa N Terranova February
- Houston Press “New Cartoon” by Kelly Klaasmeyer March
- Houston Press “Woods” by Kelly Klaasmeyer February
2004
- Glasstire: Texas Visual Art Online "Best of 2004" by Rachel Cook
- New American Talent, The Nineteenth Exhibition, Arthouse, Exhibition Catalog
- Houston Press “Temporary Insanity” by Steven Devedanam November
- Houston Press “No Virgins, No Velvet” by Josh Harkinson November
- Houston Press “New World Order” by Steven Devedanam May
2003
- Dallas Observer “Urban Brawl, It’s Houston vs. Dallas” by Annabelle Massey Helber April
2002
- Houston Press “The Biggest and the Baddest” by Kelly Klaasmeyer July