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.

Made In Cuba : Opening September 7th