As he prepares for a new solo exhibition, the Mexican-American artist Eduardo Sarabia recounts how a multigenerational family quest has shaped his work and identity.
Many artists claim that their work is multidisciplinary. But Eduardo Sarabia’s varied practice includes painting, sculpture, mezcal making and even treasure hunting. “There’s a lot of fantasy and imagination involved in my work,” he says, seated in his studio on the first floor of a 1950s industrial building in the Zapopan district of Guadalajara, Mexico. He shows me the handcrafted, blue-and-white Talavera-style ceramic tiles he’s produced for a coming solo exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium. In place of the typical Talavera motifs of flora and fauna, one piece is adorned with crossed swords and floating pills, the other reads “Mas Oro” (“More Gold”). “Everything comes from a real place,” he says. “That’s why I love what I do. I get to share these stories — my stories.”
