Origin: Puerto Piritu, Venezuela
Currently Exhibiting in: Brooklyn, NY, USA
Social Media: Instagram: mhernandezmago
Bio:
Hernandez Mago is a Brooklyn-based Venezuelan filmmaker and photographer whose work challenges conventions and offers a vivid exploration of the Latino experience. Growing up in the small coastal town of Puerto Piritu in Venezuela, Mago’s early environment profoundly shaped his artistic sensibilities. After moving to Minneapolis in 2017 to pursue his college education, he continued his journey in the arts by completing an MFA in Film Directing in Brooklyn, where he currently resides.
His work spans various media, including photography, short films, and music videos. Notable projects include the short films Truth as a Foreign Language and The Last Trip, cinematography for Japanese Jazz Artist Toshifumi Hinata’s music videos, and the photography series A Crowd of Naive Thoughts. Through his art, Mago explores themes such as nostalgia for the present, the chaos and absurdity of life, and the moral struggles of his generation as they contemplate an uncertain future. His works serve as visual poems, blending elements of magical realism, expressionism, and introspection, inviting viewers to reconsider the nature of memory, identity, and reality.
Featured Artwork at Bushwick Gallery
A Crowd of Naive Thoughts 3
Year of Creation: 2024
Medium: Fine Art Photograph on Matte Paper
Dimensions: 15 inches x 15 inches
Price: $450 USD
Description:
A Crowd of Naive Thoughts 3 is part of Hernandez Mago’s ongoing exploration of memory, perception, and identity. Created using a Canon DSLR with a Zeiss Planar 50mm lens and soft diffusion filters, this piece captures the hazy interplay between recollection and present-day nostalgia. Edited meticulously in Lightroom and Photoshop, the image is printed on matte inkjet paper, offering a soft, tactile quality that invites viewers to engage with the blurred boundaries of reality. Inspired by the landscapes of his Venezuelan hometown and the urban contrasts of his current life in Brooklyn, Mago’s work captures a longing to live fully in the present while grappling with memories affected by future anxieties.
Exhibition Information
Group Exhibition: Wild Kingdoms: Animals Reimagined
Opening Reception: Thursday, November 7 / 6PM-8PM
Exhibition Dates: November 7 – November 18, 2024
Theme: Reinterpret the animal kingdom through a modern lens, exploring abstract representations and social commentary. Mago’s A Crowd of Naive Thoughts 3 presents a poetic lens on human nature, challenging viewers to ponder the relationship between perception and memory. Through this work, Mago contributes a unique, introspective viewpoint to the exhibition, capturing the transient beauty of existence and encouraging viewers to reflect on the fleeting nature of moments that define our lives.