Artist Statement:

 

Human suffering, violence, abuse of power, politics, control, and hypocrisy are themes I explore in my work.  These topics are all part of a larger social commentary regarding the disposable way human life is treated.  ENTO•HOMO•LOGY is a fifteen-year retrospective of installations and sculptures addressing these social issues by overlaying concepts regarding the perceived worth of “the others" with metaphors related to insects; a common analogy used throughout history to strip others of their humanity. In addition to this metaphorical association, insects and entomology also inspire elements of anonymity, plurality, scale, presentation, and identification. I design the installations and sculptures to be emotionally immersive and morally engaging with the intent to pay tribute to the victims, bring awareness to their suffering, the issues that affect them, and ultimately inspire action or activism.

 

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Biography:

 

Bernardo Vallarino is a Colombian American mixed-media sculptor and installation artist interested in geopolitical issues of violence and human suffering. His works reflect his observations on the hypocrisy he perceives existing between the rhetoric of human life and the violent behavior of humanity. With his artworks, Vallarino strives to engage his audience visually but also morally and philosophically, finding inspiration in history, the media, his personal experiences, and his lifelong interest in insects and entomology. Vallarino, a NALAC (National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures) fellow, graduated with a BFA in sculpture from Texas Christian University, an MFA in the same field from Texas Woman’s University, and is the current coordinator of Fort Worth Art Collective and a board member at Artes De La Rosa. He has exhibited widely at galleries and nonprofit spaces in Texas, Oklahoma, and York, England.  Vallarino received the 2020 SMU’s Moss/Chumley North Texas Artist Award from the Meadow’s Museum of Art and has displayed artwork at the Amarillo Museum of Art, Arlington Museum of Art, and most Recently at the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas.