Rodrigo Oñate, aka Rococombines the visual languages of graffiti, comics and pop culture in his energetic paintings. The artist divides his time between Chicago and Querétaro, Mexico, working on walls and canvases, mixing up a series of characters with simple patterns, squiggles and the occasional surreal detail, such as a gloved hand in which there is an eye embedded.
Roco describes his process as completely intuitive and almost like graffiti writing. “I throw some lines and go from there. I start staging characters and elements and adding textures and intricate shapes,” he says. “I love movement and flowing shapes, (and am) always looking for a good balance between color and texture in the composition.”
Various cartoon characters return in the spicy works and often arise from personal connections. For example, birds come from Roco’s mother who tells him that the animals flocking to their family garden are ancestors visiting from another realm, while dogs mimic his three dogs.
Other creatures have broader symbolism, such as the jaguars and big cats that are reminiscent of the spirit guides of Mexican mythology. And the primates? They are included because they convey a sense of play and joy, the two feelings the artist hopes to convey with each work.
Prints and other goods are available in Roco’s shopand you can find out more about it Instagram.
