Thinkspace Projects presents:
MARISSA REYES
Fighting Fickle Feelings For You
On view March 4 – March 25, 2023
Opening Reception:
Saturday, March 4 from 6-10pm
Thinkspace Projects
4207 W. Jefferson Blvd + 4217 W. Jefferson Blvd.
Los Angeles, California 90016
#310.558.3375 | Tues. – Sat. noon to 6pm
thinkspaceprojects.com
Marissa Reyes examines representations of the female body and to articulate sites of agency and resistance to surveillance and shame. Utilizing a visual culture of psychosexuality and psychological intimacy, she interrogates ways in which depictions of the female nude can be removed from historical regimes and systemic lenses of oppression and hypersexualization. Her self-portraits provide a safe space for the female body to experience personal and private narratives of pain, desire, doubt, and fear.
As a woman, most of us all have that moment we remember in grade school. We are sitting at the lunch table about to enjoy a tasty banana, when suddenly a group of boys behind you burst into laughter. You turn to see what the boys are laughing at, only to find it is you they are laughing at. They are making phallic jokes about the banana you are eating; you sit there confused and embarrassed and not understanding why you feel this way. Being sexualized at such an early age while eating a piece of fruit has altered the way I see men and the way I see myself. This thought has lingered in my mind for the past 22 years.
In this new body of work, I explore sexism, the self and the delicate emotions that encompass romantic relationships. I use the symbol of the banana to objectify men, they are a mere thing that is the source of the issues within my work. I use self-portraiture to convey the intimate emotions and conversations that we have with ourselves about the choices we make within a relationship. These emotions can be very intense and private. I allow the viewer insight into these very intimate moments of pain, hurt, love, doubt, and fear. My inner thoughts can sometimes be like the wild west, lawless and violent. These very serious topics are encased in that same humor I felt as a 10 year old that I still don’t quite understand.
Artist Bio:
Marissa Reyes (b.1991) is an oil painter who lives and works in San Bernardino, California. She holds a BA in Studio Art from The University of La Verne, followed by an MFA from Claremont Graduate University. The artist’s solo and group exhibitions include Humorous Hubris (2022), at East Gallery of Claremont Graduate University and 1° of Separation (2022), at Franchise in Los Angeles. Reyes’ most recent exhibitions include Raiz (2023), with Thinkspace Gallery at the Brand Library & Art Center in Glendale and Sunset Unlimited Curated by Devin Troy Strother (2023), at Intersect Palm Springs Art and Design Fair with The Pit LA in Palm Springs.