Julio César Cepeda Duque

Julio César Cepeda Duque

What most people see and understand as trash, for me, is raw material. One man’s trash is certainly my treasure.

But the collections of materials I use isn’t just limited to trash. I search in the showrooms of mechanics, plumbers, electricians and other workplaces simply because it inspires me to make unique pieces. People I know offer me objects that have been a part of their life: things like old cell phones, broken headphones, and used watches. This generates a certain interaction with the spectator who recognizes their old possessions, sees that they have been a part of this process, and realizes that pieces of their daily life have now become art.

There is no set process I have in making these pieces. Most times the frame or material I use to support the other objects is what gives me an idea but sometimes I’ll be inspired by the objects I find. Oftentimes though, I’ll have a general idea of what I want to do or what theme I want to go for. In general, I never know what the final product will be, but that is what I love the most about my art.

The overriding concept in my work is that of recycling; the idea of contributing to have a cleaner planet. To reiterate the reality of reuse, I always include some sort of person or figure in my assemblages.

I hope people connect to the art and see more to it than even I intended to project. I am sure that this opportunity to exhibit my work in Reading, meeting a lot of new people on the way, will enrich the soul of the artist in me.

Visiting Artist Workshop : Assemblage, September 8-9

Made In Cuba : Opening September 7th