“Considering the long history of these seemingly chronic conditions that we are in, it is of utmost importance that we create art that exemplifies sensitivity to the struggles, heartaches, aspiration, and dreams of our fellowmen.” Conversations like these with Leslie de Chavez are often enlightening. He navigates the art world through its institutions, markets, and communities by consistently keeping his responsibilities as an artist as a guiding point. His socially and politically charged works confront their audience—whether in the white cube of a gallery or out in the streets—even if the points of view he presents run against popular taste, particularly at this time of historical revisionism and the silencing of dissent.
De Chavez’s exhibition, “A Lonely Picket in the (2021), several meters in length and partially propped against the wall, combines the form of a whip and a rosary, with the rosary beads replaced by the heads of populist presidents Rodrigo Duterte and Ferdinand Marcos, both known for their use of extrajudicial killings. He created the cross with resin forms of .38 caliber guns, a common weapon found in crime scenes tied to Duterte’s drug war. At the middle of the cross is a decaying fist made of plaster—the fist bump is a common symbol of support for Duterte—encapsulated in red-orange translucent resin. This piece shows De Chavez’s capacity to create something that could infuriate loud and confrontational supporters. Yet, the piece was quietly tucked away at Silverlens, provoking only those who cared to look closely.
