Collidoscope
de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective
de la Torre Brothers Retro-Perspective
The exhibition is a thematic retrospective on the artistic and exploratory trajectory of Einar and Jamex de la Torre, the two siblings that comprise this artistic duo known as The de la Torre Brothers. Einar and Jamex were born in Guadalajara, Mexico, in 1963 and 1960, respectively, but they have navigated life on both sides of the border since they were very young. For over three decades, the de la Torre Brothers have developed their signature style, creating colorful, mixed-media work through blown-glass sculpture, installation, and, most recently, lenticular imagery. In an over-the-top aesthetic frequently described as baroque, the pieces are at once humorous and critically earnest, manifesting influences ranging from religious iconography and German expressionism to the sculpture of the ancient Americas and Mexican folk art. The more than 40 works presented here are a kaleidoscopic collision of imagery and meaning drawn from the Brothers’ bi-national and bi-cultural experiences.
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The brothers Einar and Jamex de la Torre have been collaborating in earnest since the 1990s. Born respectively in 1963 and 1960 in Guadalajara, México, they came to the United States with their family in 1972. They studied at California State University, Long Beach, and have since taught at the prestigious Pilchuck Glass School in Stanwood, Washington. Currently, they live and work on both sides of the border in Baja California, México, and San Diego.
Over the years, the de la Torre Brothers have developed their signature style, creating colorful, mixed-media work through blown-glass sculpture, installation, and, most recently, lenticular imagery. In an over-the-top aesthetic frequently described as baroque, the pieces are at once humorous and critically earnest, manifesting influences ranging from religious iconography and German expressionism to the sculpture of the ancient Americas and Mexican folk art. The more than 40 works presented here are a kaleidoscopic collision of imagery and meaning drawn from the Brothers’ unique perspectives on American culture and the Latinx experience.
This exhibition was made possible through a collaboration between the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Latino and The Cheech Marin Center for Chicano Art & Culture of the Riverside Art Museum. Additional support was provided by the National Museum of the American Latino for the national tour.