About Hernalex Studios
Biography
Based in San Francisco, artist Alexander Hernandez was born in Huajuapan de Leon Oaxaca, Mexico, and raised in Grand Junction, Colorado. His mixed-media practice, concentrating in textiles, explores the intersectional identities of immigrant experience, queer sensibilities, gender expectations, and HIV+ survival. He earned his BFA from Rocky Mountain College of Art & Design (2007) and his MFA from California College of the Arts (2012).
He has participated in significant residencies, including Mass MoCA, Mark Rothko Art Center, and Vermont Studio Center. Currently, Alexander also works at Creativity Explored in San Francisco, assisting neurodiverse artists and those with disabilities in their art creation.
Art Statement
I forge technicolor portals where the human form, nostalgia, and pop culture imagery intertwine to celebrate self-discovery. I invite viewers to step through these gateways, engaging with reimagined narratives that bridge the physical and spiritual, sparking introspection and connection. With every stitch, I conjure spells, working a form of patchwork witchery to weave together the warp and weft of my existence—immigrant experiences, gender expectations, HIV+ status, acculturation anxieties, queer sensibilities, and struggles with self-image. In an alchemical process of fragmentation and reconstruction, these potent spells manifest as transformative acts that embrace self-acceptance and the never-ending journey of self-actualization.
Textile Talks
watch video to learn more about the artist's work
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