Mark Vallen :: My Nature Is Hunger

"One of my latest oil paintings has been published as the cover art for My Nature Is Hunger, the newest book of poetry from award-winning Chicano author, Luis J. Rodríguez...I talked with the author prior to creating the preliminary sketches for my artwork, and he told me that the poems in his book were about the numerous types of 'hunger' people live through - the hunger for justice, fulfillment, love, dignity - and always the hunger for a better life".

That explanation is from the blog of Mark Vallen, an artist influenced by life & Goya and Daumier, German Expressionists and the Mexican Muralists. Punk publications, Central American refugees, Nixon, and the Black Panthers were his earliest subjects and outlets.

Anger and passion all mixed-up, I found these words of naïve compassion in one of my notebooks (and published them in VIVA LA RAZA sparkles when the sun hits):

I am in love,
que taaaanto amor traigo adentro,
but on the outside, híjole,
just think about it:
Are hunters only the hungry?
Are fighters attackers or the attacked?
An intellectual needs to be constantly questioning:
how can a revolutionary drop the revolver to remain evolving?
Never standing still to build a house.
Never getting comfortable to drop the weapons.
Never eating enough to stop the hunger,
staying awake until collapsing into sleep:
hasta que caigas del sueno
para seguir, con el sueno de que te despierte la libertad.
Do you go hungry before becoming a hunter?
Do you wait to be attacked to fight?
Hunger attacks every day...

THE POINT OF THIS STORY IS: Mark Vallen's paintings will be on display at, Both Sides of the Border: Latin American and Chicano Art - a major exhibition of over forty artists from throughout Latin America and the Southwest of the U.S. The show runs from Nov. 19th until Dec. 30th, 2005. For more information, including previews of the art, a full schedule of exhibit related events, and directions to the gallery check out the website.