“Lo que se ve, no se pregunta”: Creating Queer Space in the Work of José Villalobos

I am happy to share that I authored an article featured in an open-access scholarly journal, which delves into the captivating work of José Villalobos. The journey of this article began as a term paper during my PhD studies, specifically in a course focused on LGBTQ History and Visual Culture. Through rigorous efforts spanning over eight months, and with the invaluable guidance and insights from esteemed scholars in the field, it evolved into the refined version now available for everyone to read at this link:

https://www.mdpi.com/2076-0752/12/6/221

In the following semester, my professor invited Villalobos to Alburquerque to give a talk about his practice. I was fortunate to receive a special invitation to join a dinner event my professor hosted afterward. During this gathering, an innocuous question from the host, “So how do you know José?” set the stage for a journey down memory lane, prompting me to reminisce about my past projects with the artist. Allow me to share those memorable recollections with you here.

I met José Villalobos when I saw a group exhibition curated by the talented Michael Martinez titled “Carnalismx Collaborative.” This was at Freight Gallery in San Antonio, Texas, before the space was renovated. It was in this context that I encountered a truly compelling piece by Villalobos that left a profound impact on me, “Forty-Nine” (2016).

“Forty-Nine” is a poignant tribute to the victims of the tragic mass shooting that shook the nation at Pulse, a gay nightclub located in Orlando, Florida. The artwork consisted of forty-nine white handkerchiefs suspended at varying heights from the timeworn ceiling. Each handkerchief held a victim’s name and was marked by a pink triangle. The symbolism was both powerful and somber. The pink triangles, reminiscent of a dark chapter in history during the Nazi era, served as a stark reminder of the persistent violence and persecution that the LGBTQIA+ community has endured throughout time.

When I saw the installation “Forty-Nine,” I was in the research stage of curating what was then called the YLA exhibition at the Mexic-Arte Museum in Austin, Texas. This was an annual exhibition showcasing the hottest up-and-coming Latinx artists in Texas. I was invited to be a guest curator for the 2017 rendition, and I put Villalobos on a watch list. I paid close attention to his Instagram, went to his shows, and did a studio visit before I invited him to participate in the exhibit I was working on: ¡ Ahora ! Young Latino Artists | YLA 22.

Around this time, I was also invited to be a panel moderator for an artist discussion panel at the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. José Villalobos was one of the chosen Artist Lab Fellows. I learned deeply about one of his cornerstone works, De La Misma Piel (2016).

Following our initial collaborative projects, we embarked on a series of successful endeavors. I had the opportunity to curate his work in a few other noteworthy exhibitions, including Images of Power in 2018 and Thread in the same year, the latter of which earned me a prestigious curation award. However, the biggest project to date was an ambitious mid-career survey held at the Freedman Gallery at Albright College in Reading, Pennsylvania. As the Curator of Collections and Exhibitions, I organized Joto Fronterizo, which Villalobos subsequently traveled it to various other locations in multiple iterations.

From all of these positive professional experiences, a friendship grew. José Villalobos is one of the hardest-working artists I know and an immensely talented professional artist. He is one of my favorite artists to work with, and I am thrilled to contribute to his scholarship and documentation with this article.