Raul de Lara's "Host" exhibition weaves together wood and identity - Yanko Design

"Raul de Lara's exhibition "Host" is a powerful and personal exploration of home, identity, and the immigrant experience, captured through the surreal and intricate medium of wood. The New York-based sculptor, who immigrated from Mexico at the age of twelve and is a DACA recipient, uses his art to give shape to the complex emotions and paradoxes of living between two cultures. The works on display are not just sculptures; they are silent companions, a testament to the artist's journey."

"Everyday objects chairs, ladders, and most notably, wild-growing flora are transformed into anthropomorphic forms. The central inspiration for the exhibition came from de Lara's return to Austin, Texas, after two decades. During his visit, he studied plants native to both northern Mexico and Texas, such as the firewheel and lazy daisy. He then recasts these wild plants as confined, domesticated houseplants in his work. This is a deliberate and poignant metaphor, questioning why plants can be "native" to two places, but people cannot."

"The materiality of the "Host" sculptures is just as important as their form. De Lara works primarily with wood, a medium he grew up with in his father's workshop in Mexico. This intimate connection to the material is evident in the finished pieces, which blend technical skill with a poetic sensibility. The artist's mastery allows him to create sculptures that are both sturdy and delicate, reflecting the dual nature of his subject matter."

Raul de Lara immigrated from Mexico at twelve and is a DACA recipient. The exhibition Host explores home, identity, and the immigrant experience through surreal, anthropomorphic wood sculptures. Everyday objects such as chairs and ladders and wild flora are recast as domesticated houseplants, forming a metaphor about belonging and nativity. The artist studied plants native to northern Mexico and Texas, including the firewheel and lazy daisy, and juxtaposed their wild origins with confined domestic forms. Primary use of wood draws on skills from a father's workshop in Mexico, producing pieces that combine technical precision, poetic sensibility, sturdiness, and delicacy.

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