Maple, cedar, Douglas fir, birchwood, acrylic, ash, mechanic rag, dyed cotton, rabbit skin glue, nail, woodblock print on handmade paper. These are the materials that artist Oscar Rene Cornejo, who joined Cornell as an Assistant Professor of Art in 2022, brought together in the creation of Aparecido (2017), and it’s a kind of poetry that repeats in much of his work – elements drawn from nature and simple household goods mixed with specific techniques in order to explore and reflect both personal and broader social experiences.
Cornejo carries this approach to artmaking with him into the classroom and to his position as the director of undergraduate studies. “Our B.F.A. program draws out our overlapping histories as they relate to our lived experiences,” Cornejo explains. Art faculty and students take “an intradisciplinary approach to integrating pedagogy, poetry, and politics concerning visual art as we connect them to civic life and perceive the ‘inner’ meaning of the stories we share. How does this inner meaning line up with how we grow and learn to make the world a better place? It is up to us to find out!”
Thank you for taking the time to share a bit about your work, Oscar. What is driving you creatively at the moment and how is that manifesting in your practice?
Practices that have an intimate relationship to the earth resonate with me, such as fresco, clay, Indigo, Japanese joinery, and Mokuhanga (Japanese woodcut). Most of these techniques require a sensitive understanding of materials that reveal poetic relationships between humans and their connection to nature. It has me inquiring about how I can further comprehend my relationship to land, leading me to holistic practices in my studio that invest in sustainable modes of being and creating. Comprehending nature’s potential demystifies traditional techniques within a contemporary setting, which has been a driving force of my artworks.
