Las Vegas Public Sculpture Artist, Luis Varela-Rico
Luis Varela-Rico with Organic Study No. 4 at Nuwu Art Gallery. Photo credit Krystal Ramirez.
By V. Galactica
In a framed portrait at Nuwu Art Gallery, artist Luis Varela-Rico stands on top of a monumental archway made of steel in the middle of the vast Black Rock Desert in northwestern Nevada. The arid desert flats are home to the annual festival Burning Man. Titled Organic Study No. 4 and featured in the artist’s first solo exhibition, Peso Neto (translating to “net weight” from Spanish), the sight of the structure - a rendition of catholic cathedrals and Mesoamerican architecture - is like a portal in situ that transports you to the history and heritage of the artist.
Down the center of the arch, a skull is suspended by chains and a stained glass heart, El Sagrado Corazon de Jesus, a catholic motif with metal spikes protruding from the skull representing rays of light similar to the halo of saints depicted in Catholic iconography. The amalgamation of these objects with the skull, a symbol of el Dia de los Muertos, pays homage to Mexican culture and provides a provocative insight into influences of Christianity. Catholicism is superimposed over the skull and above the pyramids which are the foundation of the piece – a reflection of present day Mexico.
After the Burning Man festival in September, remnants of the artwork made their way to Nuwu Art Gallery and now lay dismantled in the back of the gallery. The stained-glass heart is now placed directly below the photograph on the wall, with chains that lead down and around the pedestal, and the skull dominates the room from the back of the gallery floor next to it.
From Organic Study No. 4 at Nuwu Art Gallery. Photo credit Krystal Ramirez.
The arduous labor that goes into making such grand-scale sculptures is documented in a video as part of the exhibition. Varela-Rico was born in Mexico and migrated to the U.S. as a young boy, and, coming from migrant parents myself, I was reminded of my parents and other migrants who come to this country, who work hard to thrive in a foreign country, and who instill that principle of hard work in their children.
Luis Varela-Rico, Radial Symmetry in the downtown Las Vegas Arts District.
Varela-Rico, now a long time resident, has established his roots in Las Vegas through his commissioned large-scale public works across the city. His first public sculpture, Norte Y Sur, made from layered steel sheets to create two heads facing north and south, is located in south Las Vegas off 215 & Eastern. It was created in 2017 for Clark County’s art project “Centered” that sought to enhance local roadways through public art. In 2018, Radial Symmetry was installed in the Arts District. Two ten-ton layered steel sheets comprise the abstract piece inspired by the art of Southern Paiute basket weaving. His next public work, a hand gripping a baseball titled Organic Study No. 2, was installed in 2019 in the Desert Diamonds Baseball Complex located in the southwest part of Las Vegas. That same year, he collaborated on a project to create Monumental Mammoth which now greets visitors at a trailhead in Tule Springs Fossil Beds National Monument in the Upper Las Vegas Valley.
His public sculptures bear a semblance to Richard Serra’s sculptures in material and scale. Serra, who died earlier this year, made large-scale sculptures made for site-specific public spaces. He was the son of European immigrants and was drawn to the medium after working in a steel mill to support himself. Similarly, Varela-Rico has worked as a skilled tradesman, and the trade strongly helped shape his skills as an artist.
Now the artist’s hard work has helped him branch out nationally. Varela-Rico was featured in the debut season of Netflix’s television series Metal Shop Masters where metal sculpture artists compete for a $50K prize. One day while at work, I gazed over at the television that is usually playing the sports channel, and I pointed out a Ford truck commercial to my colleague standing next to me. I told him I thought I recognized the name of a local artist. After a few seconds, he responded signaling towards the screen, and said, “I know that. That’s over at the baseball field in Mountain’s Edge.” He was referring to Organic Study No.2, which made a cameo in the Ford commercial that featured Varela-Rico. I was unaware of this sculpture at the time, but I pictured others who, though they might not particularly follow the local arts scene or art in general (like my colleague), recognized the artist’s sculptures as a part of the city.
People tend to familiarize themselves with their surroundings. In Chicago, Sir Anish Kapoor’s Cloud Gate has contributed in creating an identity for the city. In Las Vegas, drawing from his Mexican heritage and his commitment to art and the city, Varela-Rico has shaped the local landscape.
Peso Neto is on view at Nuwu Art Gallery + Community Center until October 26th.
Follow Nuwu Art Gallery on IG @nuwuart and artist Luis Varela-Rico @luisvarelarico
V. Galactica is a writer living in Las Vegas. She can be found on IG @via.galactica
Published by Wendy Kveck on October 25, 2024.