On Friday, December 7 from 6-11pm La Llorona Gallery will feature the works of two Chicago artists, Eduardo Alvarado and Mark Flores, in the opening of the exhibition “Relative likeness: picturing the people we know”.

The exhibition challenges us to look at people from the perspective of the artists, who have transformed their subjects, depicting them not as who they are, but rather, how they are seen. Collectively these works reveal a community, displaying each person as if they were appearing in the mind’s eye of the artist.

Both Eduardo Alvarado and Mark Flores bring their own unique flavor to their work, making these pieces deeply personal. The styles of their works are full of the richness of multiple artistic traditions, from graffiti to photography to murals. Each portrait is a microcosm, containing within itself a history, a relationship, and a synthesis of both the seen and the unseen.

The works presented in “Relative likeness: picturing the people we know” challenge us to examine how our own experience and perceptions inform the way we see the people around us. They force us to consider how we would depict people we love, people who have hurt us, or people who have passed on. The works of Eduardo Alvarado and Mark Flores in this thought-provoking exhibition inspire us to seek answers to these questions.

	Click Images for larger view.

Eduardo Alonso Alvarado
b. Monterrey N.L. Mexico August 8, 1973

Eduardo Alonso Alvarado was born in Monterrey N.L. Mexico on August 8, 1973. At four months of age his family moved to Chicago, where he has resided ever since. As a middle child Eduardo got into plenty of trouble, “taking the heat” for his siblings and getting grounded regularly. Since he was sent to his room quite often and had no other source of entertainment such as radio or TV, Eduardo began drawing to pass the time. When punishment time was over, he would always come out of his room with whatever new artwork he had created and show his mother, who always responded with “that’s nice Eddie!”

Throughout middle school and high school Eduardo was able to continue to nurture his artistic talent, thanks to helpful teachers and opportunities to work with artists such as Keith Haring and Tim Rollins on collaborations such as a 500-foot mural in Grant Park and a project in the Harold Washington Library.

After marrying his high school sweetheart and having two children, Eduardo got a divorce and began to throw himself into his painting, his emotional release. He also began to study various artists and art history and taught an after-school art program for high school kids. Since then, Eduardo has painted on commission, learned graphic design and worked on a clothing line.

Eduardo’s work has been shown in the Rhona Hoffman Gallery, 33 Collective in Bridgeport, several Pilsen galleries, and most recently in “Dia de los muertos: A New Beginning” at the National Museum of Mexican Art.

Mark Anthony Flores
b. Chicago November 27, 1980

Mark Anthony Flores was born on the north side of Chicago to Mexican immigrant parents on November 27, 1980. He grew up in Humboldt Park and later moved to the Northwest side. Mark attended public school until eighth grade, when he received a scholarship to the Latin School of Chicago. From there, Mark received a full scholarship to the University of Illinois in Champaign/Urbana, where he earned degrees in Communications and Latino Studies.

After graduating Mark began his career in media, working for a variety of Hispanic media outlets including the Chicago Tribune’s Spanish Newspaper, Hoy. Soon after, the United Neighborhood Organization recruited him to serve as the head of the communications department. Mark currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Illinois and as the Chairman of the Commission on Human Relations for the City of Chicago.