SELF-PORTRAIT || A PERFORMANCE

At 7:45 PM, Shaun will present Self-portrait, a performance that will last 12 minutes and capture the essence of his work in a dreamlike state. Raw and stripped of the superhero persona found in his paintings, Shaun “El Conquistador” Leonardo will blend personal narrative and pop-culture iconography from his childhood as a means to convey the complexities of his own experience with masculinity and race. Shaun explained that Self-portrait was created “to be poignantly personal in an attempt to explain myself to myself.”

“I’ll be weaving in and out of performances I’ve done in the past” as he interweaves his hands. “Conjuring memories of family traditions, past relationships and machismo that seem elusive yet inescapable.” When asked what the viewers could expect, Shaun did not want to reveal too much, but mentioned it would include “flexing” to which I could not help but smile.  

Self-portrait will be presented on the ground level of the Center during the opening reception of Recall on January 29. Performance starts at 7:45PM.