Cesar Conde
Coming Out of the Shadows
Portraits of Undocumented Americans
Charcoal on wood board
12″ x 24″
“Coming out of the Shadow” is a series of portraits done on wood board and charcoal. They are portraits of brave undocumented Americans who came here as a child and now are fighting for their right to be recognized as Americans.. They are brave young men and women, who are activist and have taken their freedom of expression to come out of the shadow of their undocumented existence. This project is to celebrate these young activist and make them more visible to the Art World.
BIO
I studied “Technique Mixte” with Maestro Patrick Betaudier in his atelier in Monflanquin , France. I learned to draw at Angel Academy of Art in Florence under Maestro John Michael Angel who apprenticed with Pietro Annigoni. Before I followed my calling, an accident changed my direction. It was winter of 1997, I fell down the stairs and broke the hand I use to paint. The night before surgery before placing screws to connect the broken bones, God spoke to me, “You have to paint.” The next day, I was being prepped for the procedure. The doctor took the splinters off and asked me to move my right hand and form a fist. My hand followed his command and succeeded. He was baffled. He took an x-ray. The overlapping bones were back in place. He declared he has never seen this before. It was impossible. I knew otherwise. A miracle. It was possible. From the time I left the hospital, my right hand never stopped moving.
I AM American Exhibition 