Artist Statement Gabe Flores is curious about his own history and how very little of it really seems like his own. He feels he’s become an excellent storyteller for the character “Gabe Flores,” but doesn’t think that character is the present day-to-day self he wakes up to and sees in the mirror. He isn’t suggesting that we all change with age and feel differently about the individual who we used to be. For one he thinks this is all virtual reality, no joke. Also, he sincerely doubts that really getting a good handle on who the character “Gabe Flores” was is even possible because there is a self-communication barrier. Any attempt at giving language to his former Jehovah’s Witness, closeted, restaurant working, Yamhill County living (etc.) self is incredibly problematic because of the difficulty in putting language and emotions to those former selves based on his current disposition. He thinks the real “Gabe Flores” is lying somewhere in the future and is playing the best “Wouldn’t it be funny?” on his current 36 year old body. Without the whole virtual reality deal, Flores believes most people could relate to a lost and fictionalization of the stories we tell about our supposed former selves.
Flores’ installation is a construction of three sculptural events all with slight physical variation. The events have an illumination in and of themselves, but what he is really wanting to present are the residue/histories of how they have existed and eventually how we turn our backs on our precious events and become more intrigued by the residue/remainder.
Bio Gabe Flores’ work often deals with his reflections on identity-based ideologies and personal narrative. His current and near future work explores displacement as well as social/cultural navigation and he works in whatever medium he feels will best help him exemplify his pursuit. Flores received a BS in Sociology, Political Science, and History with a minor in Psychology from Portland State University and has pursued some graduate studies in English and History at the same institution. Flores is a Curator and Director of Place and Settlement.
