Looking for something unique to see this month in Sedona? Starting this Friday, Colorado artist, Emilio Lobato kicks off his Career Retrospective Exhibition. Emilio Lobato: Mi Linda Soledad (My Beautiful Solitude), the first retrospective of one of Colorado’s most prominent contemporary artists will open in the Special Exhibition Gallery at Sedona Arts Center in Uptown Sedona. This exhibit begins with an Opening Celebration on Friday, June 3rd from 5 to 8 pm, where everyone is invited to meet Emilio Lobato and curator Tariana Navas-Nieves who will talk about the exhibition. “Mi Linda Soledad” will be open to the public June 3rd – 28th from 11 am to 4 pm.
The exhibit surveys Lobato’s nearly twenty-year career and presents more than twenty-five pieces, including mixed media works and monotypes. Mi Linda Soledad (My Beautiful Solitude) explores the aesthetic style and conceptual nature of Lobato’s work, as well as the interdisciplinary and cross-cultural influences that have distinguished his artistic practice. Lobato’s incorporation of diverse cultural and creative elements is represented by a series of objects, many of which the artist has collected over the years, ranging from contemporary art, Asian artifacts, and African masks to old books with texts in different languages and Rio Grande textiles.
Mi Linda Soledad, a title selected by the artist, is an insightful title that alludes to Lobato’s exploration of the themes of solitude and isolation—subjects that have been central to his art from his earliest works to today. Lobato defines solitude as a physical, spiritual, and psychological state of being that can be either a serene personal haven or, at times, a locus of emotional turmoil. Isolation for the artist is what has been imposed on him through his environment, and the effect this has had on his art and sense of self.
Lobato’s artistic journey is presented chronologically. A viewer can trace how his works have evolved and matured, beginning with his formative years in his birthplace of San Pablo, Colorado, followed by his university studies at Colorado College in Colorado Springs, and then his subsequent move to Denver and his successful professional career that continues to the present day. Mi Linda Soledad attests to the continued vitality and relevance of Emilio Lobato’s work.
Emilio Lobato: Mi Linda Soledad is sponsored by El Pomar Foundation, the Colorado Springs Independent and WESTAF, the Western States Arts Federation and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Remember: grow; learn; conserve; preserve; create; question; educate; change; and free your mind.
About: Kelli Klymenko is an artist, a faculty member and the Marketing & Events Coordinator at Sedona Arts Center: a gathering place where artists can learn, teach, and exhibit their works at the center’s School of the Arts and Fine Art Gallery in uptown Sedona.
