Bayo Álvaro

Bayo Álvaro sculpts intimate stories that resonate within broader cultural histories, delving into the complexities of identity, longing, and compassion. Drawing from his experiences growing up in an environment where self-expression was questioned, Álvaro developed an intuitive method of negotiating competing modes of identity from a young age. Through the weaving of rope, he sought to render a fluid sense of self in a space that favored archaic, conservative constructs. His work employs materials such as insulation, foam, vinyl, metal, and homemade pastes to create rhythmic, botanical sculptures. The physical process of his practice is a constant back-and-forth and almost defiant conversation between the artist and the material. Oscillating between the muscular and the delicate, the work reflects a process of constant flux: soft textiles are constrained with hardened wax, and industrial mediums are relieved by organic forms. What remains with the viewer is a raw reflection of what is possible when contradictory elements find a way to influence one another and coexist together. Álvaro's sculptures evoke a "queer performativity" of nature, where nothing is exclusively masculine or feminine, animate or inanimate; rather, there is an infinite potential for change and interaction. ...