‘SQUIRM’: A Call to Unveil” by David SiqueirosDavid Siqueiros
In my formative days as a photographer, I encountered a portrait artist’s introspection that has left an indelible imprint on my artistic journey. Regrettably, the identity of this luminary remains a fleeting memory, an enigma I’ve been tirelessly retracing through the corridors of recollection. His words conveyed an enigmatic truth that has resonated ever since—an assertion that his portraiture held an unwavering power to evoke surprise within his subjects. This revelation, as I interpreted it, meant that upon viewing their portraits, the subjects themselves were consistently stirred by an unexpected revelation of their own visage which often made them SQUIRMSQUIRM for better or for worse.
As the years unfurled, I began to discern akin responses to my own body of work, a phenomenon transcending the confines of mere portraiture. These responses spanned a spectrum from jubilant astonishment to a jarring, disorienting astonishment—a revelation at times starkly disparate from delight.
And yet, “SQUIRM,” the opus poised for unveiling, propels this concept of “astonishment” to an entirely new and disconcerting echelon. The compositions within this exhibition have, with acute observation, induced an unsettling discomfort in spectators, each for their own distinctive reasons. This unsettling impact touches not only the subjects themselves, but also extends its reach to their fans and to my patrons who entrusted me with their narrative, and even those unsuspecting voyagers who may stumble upon this collection.
“SQUIRM” unveils, with uncharted audacity, a series of squirmish vignettes.
A 20 minute never-before-seen behind the scenes unedited video exposes Sofia VergaraSofia Vergara, the epitome of contemporary allure and sought-after talent, in private moments preceding her meteoric ascent—raw video she herself has never glimpsed.
It captures MelanieMelanie, an Olympic-grade diver from the University of Miami, through a light and lens previously unexplored featuring her sculpted physique.
Police captured SWAT team evidence, harnessed for Federal Court trials in pursuit of justice for murder by cops, metamorphose into art before your eyes.
An adorned jeweled crucifix, a religious symbol of faith and beauty, elicits a cryptic recoil from Catholic clergy, a response even my mother once speculated stemmed from reverence.
Medical procedures, threading through the delicate fabric of surgical expertise, occasion the fainting of fledgling residents confronting the reality of their chosen path.
An echo of wisdom that resonated from publishing titan—Jerry Powers with his protege Courtland Lantaff—discoursing on the arcane art of birthing a magazine.
The intimate choreography of crafting disputable pop art masterpieces unfolds within the inner sanctum of Romero BrittoRomero Britto‘s studio.
This composite tableau was not a venture I consciously embarked upon. Rather, it crystallized organically into a seamless visual symphony, one that commands attention and beckons the subjects and the viewers to confront their own inner chasms of turmoil, discomfort and discord.
When the curtains rise on “SQUIRM,” a symphony of unease awaits. The subjects, the patrons, and those who simply wander through its installation—each do not have the power to arrest the impending reveal.
To those whose stories are painted here, to those who fueled the creation, to those who unwittingly stand on the precipice of this collection’s impact—consider the power one does not have. Before the first viewer walks in, before the collective gasp and murmur, there lies no option to halt the relentless march of this unveiling or to postpone SQUIRM in its unsettling glory.
© Copyright David Siqueiros 2023