Grimaldi Baéz: A CEMI WASTE OF MACHO TIME
A CEMI WASTE OF MACHO TIME: something for us to believe in
An exhibition by Grimaldi Baéz curated by NAPOLEON member José A. Ortiz Pagán “O.T.S.”
The bell sounds. Did the fight just start or end? This is the question the artist Grimaldi Baéz tries to answer with his recent body of work. Why do we collectively glorify and demonize the so-called “heroes” of today? Juxtaposing elements from religion and sports, Baéz invites us to play the role of referee as we surround a mythical boxing ring.
Opening First Friday, March 1st
6pm – 10pm
NAPOLEON
319 N 11th Street, 2L
Philadelphia, PA
Exhibition Dates: 3.1.13 – 3.21.13
Gallery Hours: Saturdays and Sundays 2pm – 6pm or by appointment
In an essay about Grimaldi Baez, artists and writers Janette Chien and Wayne Kleppe write:
…Baez sources both Dürer and Rembrandt’s works depicting the resurrection of Christ. He inserts “Macho” Camacho into these iconic scenes, rendering a satirical portrait of the boxing legend in the ring; a portrait that holds strong religious allusions that run deep throughout Latino culture.
To read the full web-version of the essay, click here.
To download a .pdf version of the essay, click here.
Reviews:
TheArtBlog.org – Monument to a Cemi-Macho Fighter – Sam Newhouse
NAPOLEON 
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Check out what others are saying...[…] 1, 2013, opening of: A CEMI WASTE OF MACHO TIME: Something for us to believe in at Napoleon. Presenting works by Grimaldi Baez, curated by José […]
[…] A Cemi Waste of Macho Time: Something for Us to Believe in, Grimaldi Baéz‘s latest solo exihibition in Philadelphia is a sadly beautiful embodiment of a the complicated relationship between masculinity, class, and culture that has always existed in ether surrounding the sport of boxing. Boxing, probably the most brutal gladiatorial experience of any sport, traditionally draws it’s heroes and fans from working class immigrant populations, complicating pretty much all of those connections. Baéz’s art work operates as a kind of cypher, imagining those relationships in a series of totemic objects, including banners, a belt, and an installation referencing the boxing ring. […]