From Cluley Projects:

"Cluley Projects, the new satellite project space of Erin Cluley Gallery, is pleased to announce the fourth exhibition of its inaugural season featuring artist Armando Sebastian based in the Dallas/Fort Worth region. The exhibition will be on view August 27th through September 25th at its location in West Dallas at 2123 Sylvan Avenue. An Opening Reception will be hosted for the artist Friday, August 27th from    5-8 pm.

In his exhibition, Serenade, Armando Sebastian creates narrative works inspired by the music of his childhood. Listening to music has always been a part of the artist’s daily life, and the stories in this new work have been informed by listening to rock and roll, boleros, trio ballads, disco, and ranchera. Among these, the serenade was always his favorite genre.

“Serenades were very popular in Mexico, mainly by Mariachi and typically sung by a man at night by the window of his lover” says Sebastian.

With vibrant colors and iconic symbols, he references the ex-voto allegory genre, but with an emphasis on personal history rather than the religious iconography that is typical of the style. Using self-portraiture, he views this body of work as a type of dance into his own memory– drawing from past life experiences or unrequited love.

The exhibition will feature a suite of paintings in addition to an installation of relics from artist’s studio and life.

About the Artist

Armando Sebastian was born and raised in Monterrey, Mexico. At an early age he became interested in theater and fashion, which later evolved into his expression through narrative painting. Inspired by ancient Mesoamerican history, Sebastian weaves autobiographical details into his work within the context of his own culture with bright colors and symbols reminiscent of Mexican folk art. Themes of identity and gender are frequently featured along with an interest in poetry, vulnerability, and the human body.

Sebastian has been exhibiting his work in the North Texas region for the past decade in venues such as the Latino Cultural Center and the Fort Worth Community Arts Center among others, as well as with galleries based in Los Angeles and New York City. Serenade will be the artist’s 6th solo exhibition. In 2017, he was recognized with the Artistic Merit Award granted by Artspace111 in its Fourth Annual Regional Juried Exhibition in Fort Worth, TX. In 2018, he was included in the juried exhibition, New Texas Talent, at Craighead Green Gallery and was a participating artist in MaricónX, a group show that traveled to multiple cities across the state of Texas. His work has been featured in publications such as the Dallas Morning News and Studio Visit Magazine. Sebastian currently lives and works in Dallas, TX.

About Cluley Projects

Erin Cluley Gallery’s new satellite gallery Cluley Projects opened in April 2021 and is housed in an 1100 sq ft space on Sylvan Avenue within walking distance from the Belmont Hotel. Cluley Projects will act as an incubator space focusing on regional artists and providing a platform for discovery and mentorship.

Erin Cluley Gallery opened its doors in West Dallas in 2014, igniting a creative movement and acting as a hub for visual arts and community engagement. After nearly five years on Fabrication Street, the gallery moved its main operation to Riverbend– a development in Dallas’ Design District celebrating the intersection between culture and commerce. "