Praxis is pleased to present Climatic Shocks, a solo exhibition by the artist Hoesy Corona (b. 1986). The show will be open from Thursday, June 8th to Friday, August 25th, 2023.

Throughout history, the unfolding of humankind has been in search of improved conditions. From prehistoric times, our ancestors embarked on migrations driven by the need for food, conflicts, or the pursuit of better opportunities. Immigration, one could argue, is an intrinsic aspect of our essence, a fundamental impulse that seems to have faded from the consciousness of a great part of our society in recent times. Working in a variety of mediums, Hoesy Corona, brings this issue to the forefront, exploring the complex interaction between humanity and the environment, with a particular focus on the ever-shifting climate and its profound effects on our habitats and migratory patterns.

In Climate Ponchos, Corona portrays silhouettes of traveling immigrants contrasting with vibrant floral backdrops, carrying their belongings across diverse landscapes in search of a brighter future. Based on the archetype of the Traveler, the artist depicts the waves of displacement occurring as a consequence of the damage caused to our environment, while at the same time, celebrating the resplendence and vibrancy of flora and the boundless power of Nature. By weaving together the narratives of these enigmatic figures, whose identities are shrouded in mystery, Corona prompts us to reflect on the urgent need for empathy and collective action.

In the same way, The Plant People series do not reveal who these figures are, however, we can see their faces. Plants and flowers are coming out of their heads, emphasizing the interconnectedness of our behaviors and that we humans are also nature, though, in recent times, our bodies and experiences have almost completely strayed away from it. As the title suggests, Climatic Shocks amplify in intensity with each passing year, disrupting lives and dislodging individuals from their homes. The exhibition emphasizes the universal character of climate-induced displacement, transcending social classes and borders. What would happen if what we are taking for granted about Nature; the air we breathe, being outdoors, the season of the year that we enjoy the most, ceased to exist in the place we inhabit?

(Text by Sofia Festa)

Hoesy Corona (based in the U.S.) is a Queer Latinx artist creating uncategorized and multidisciplinary art spanning installation, performance, and sculpture. His latest installation Terrestrial Caravan (2022) at the Academy Art Museum in Easton, MD is on view through Aug 2023. He is a current Winston Tabb Special Collections Research Center Public Humanities Fellow 2022-2023 at the Johns Hopkins University's Sheridan Libraries'. Hoesy has exhibited widely in galleries, museums, and public spaces in the United States and internationally including recent solo exhibitions All Roads Lead to Roam (2023) at Eric Dean Gallery at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN; Sunset Moonlight (2021) at The Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, MD; and Alien Nation (2017), at The Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden presented by Transformer in Washington, DC.

Hoesy is a former Taf Fellow 2019-2020 in Tulsa, OK and a Halcyon Arts Lab Fellow 2017-2018 in Washington, DC. He is the recipient of numerous honors and awards including The Nicholson Project artist residency, The Mellon Foundation’s MAP Fund Grant, and the Andy Warhol Foundation’s Grit Fund Grant. His work has been reviewed by The Washington Post, Bmore Art Magazine, and The American Scholar among others. In 2022 he was named the inaugural Restoring Hope, Restoring Trust Artist in Residence 2023 at Wabash College in Crawfordsville, IN. He is a current resident artist at The Creative Alliance in Baltimore, MD.

Art allows me to create new ways of seeing, thinking, and connecting. Since the beginning of my studio practice I’ve embraced the term “uncategorized” to describe my multidisciplinary art practice, which keeps me moving swiftly between disciplines.

In my most recent work, I highlight the complex relationship between humans and the environment by focusing on our changing climate and its impact on habitation and migration patterns, while bringing attention to the lush flora and multitudinous powers of nature. For my Climate Immigrants installations, I combine performances for the camera and digital painting collages in large scale prints on fabric to construct immersive sites for contemplation.

In the studio I develop fabulated narratives centering marginalized individuals in society in ways that investigate what it means to be a queer Latinx immigrant in a place where there are few. And in the process, I examine the physical and psychological consequences of never seeing yourself reflected anywhere — while simultaneously, celebrating the resiliency and ingenuity of immigrants despite our unique circumstances. I do this by organizing and choreographing large-scale otherworldly performances with sculptural works fitted to the human body alongside installations that oftentimes quietly confront and delight viewers with some of the most pressing issues of our time.

I produce work in series format to embrace and accommodate the ebb and flows of the various reoccurring themes of queerness, race/class/gender, isolation, celebration, and the climate crisis that are present throughout my work.

(Hoesy Corona)