“Root Doctor”
OG Goyo | AVAILABLE
2020, 17.5” x 23” Ink on Paper matted in a 20” x 26” Frame
Where do I even begin with this one?! Even after years of friendship, I find myself increasingly fascinated and impressed the more time I spend with Goyo! There’s a reason why @de.antes.artsgoes by “OG” GOYO. This man has been creating in various forms for nearly 40 years and has seemingly seen it all; he originally went on Dead tour in 1991, the year I was born! Given the immense impact that the festival/travel/music/art alternative lifestyle has had on my life in less than a decade, it’s plain to see why G is a legend among us with his vast archive of life experiences and tenure with art. “Buy the ticket, take the ride.”
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What a ride it was watching Goyo cultivate the “Root Doctor”. There are certain steps in the process that I had never witnessed, and the big takeaway for me was PRECISION. As the only illustrator on the first wave of MAD House Artist releases, I quickly realized that there is nearly ZERO room for error once he starts laying down the micron pen. While a painter can sometimes wipe up or paint over a “happy little accident”, this process requires near perfection in every motion. In addition to this, the Doctor was manifested with NO TOOLS aside from finding the center point. The border lines were drawn with no ruler, and as you can see in the video feature, his steady hand and absolute concentration pulls MASSIVE clean lines. The special paper that G hand cuts for each piece is durable but unforgiving. One incredible mechanism of these ARTifacts is the “stained glass” effect that appears when they are back lit. While the colors are often soft, smokey, and muted on the surface, a flash of light from behind ignites the pigments in the paper and creates dazzling, glowing color effects as seen in the third picture of the previous post. The multiple layers of ink that create depth, shading and highlights is truly remarkable.
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This antiquated and aged looking paper becomes the platform from which GOYO channels ancient energies and cultures. With family roots tracing back to medicine men in Mexico, G’s imagery is highly symbolic and gives reverence to indigenous cultures of the Huichol/Wixárika, Aztec, Mayan, and others. Weaving in reference of plant medicines and animal guardians, this particular piece features:
•”Kissing Skull” border, with his prevalent aesthetic of skulls lining the edge flip flopped in a repeating pattern with alternating colors used
•Sun and Moon illuminating all from the top right with watchful eye blocks
•Wind and Rain displayed as feathers, raindrops and spores fly around the otherwise empty space of the piece
•Unalome patterns throughout, weaving in symbolism of the twists and turns of life in the soul’s journey to enlightenment ➿
•The cane representing dance on the bottom center rested upon peyote cacti and mushroom
•The ritual cauldron on the bottom right, used in ceremony by Mesoamerican cultures
•Blocks sections explode and curve around from the figure’s head and hand, and display some of GOYO’s Chicago graffiti roots
•The figure of the man is tapped into all of these elements in some way, using his energy and harnessing the energy of nature to cultivate the beautiful plant life seen throughout
There is SO much more to dive into, and the opportunity to hear @de.antes.arts speak about each piece is truly a blessing, as is he. I am honored to be presenting this truly special individual and his creations to you all.
