In Conversation with Ruben Castillo
As Pride Month comes to a close, we're highlighting Troy, New York-based artist Ruben Castillo. Ruben discusses his definition of pride and the inextricable ways his Queer identity informs his printmaking practice. Watch the full interview on Instagram, or continue reading below.
Where are you from and where are you currently based?
I was born in Dallas, Texas and I’m currently based in Troy, New York.
Describe the kind of work you create - how is it made, what inspires you?
The kind of work that I create is layered, detailed, and intimate both in concept and in form in many ways. It can be some kind of depiction of intimacy or closeness, or it can be an experience that you feel when you’re looking at the work — like you’re looking at something that maybe feels private and special in some way like a secret little discovery.
How long have you been working in this style or with these materials?
I primarily work in printmaking which I’ve been doing now for about 13 years. It really impacts everything I do — impacting the way that I draw, the way that I think, the way that I paint. Even if I approach something sculpturally, it's going to be through the way a printmaker would.
What is a typical day in your studio?
A typical day in my studio can vary. It can kind of be based purely around the different types of projects I have. I might be researching one day and going through the archives and trying to find out what imagery I want to be working with, I may be documenting things in my everyday life, or I may be printing an edition; it really kind of varies from project to project.
The kind of work that I create is layered, detailed, and intimate both in concept and in form in many ways. It can be some kind of depiction of intimacy or closeness, or it can be an experience that you feel when you’re looking at the work.
Ruben Castillo
What moments in your process do you enjoy the most?
In my practice, one of my absolute favorite moments is that reveal of the print after it’s come out the other end of the press — it’s like this total surprise in terms of all this labor that was just executed to create this specific moment here; it’s such a reward every time when you pull from the press.
What does ‘pride’ mean to you?
When it comes to pride I take that definition very literal to see it as the opposite of shame, to play without fear. For me, it’s rooted in so much historical violence, strife, and activism. It’s a really potent word in particular for LGBTQ+ people because it’s something that is not easy to come by and can be very difficult.
How do you think about identity in relation to your work?
When I’m thinking about identity in my practice together, they really seem quite inseparable. My work’s not going to necessarily feature maybe explicit, Queer-coded themes where when you look at it you're like oh that’s most definitely a gay act or a Queer specific moment. But more so by virtue of my own identity, every aspect of the work itself is going to be Queer. Like I can’t walk any other differently in the world, I can’t make or gesture any other way than as myself and that is a part of my Queer identity. So even small, intimate gestures all within the work are inevitably going to be some kind of queering in that moment which I think is very powerful and special.
What are some recurring themes in your work at Uprise Art?
The work that I have at Uprise Art is about joy, expressive qualities, and being unafraid to make a choice or a decision. It’s really about play and being curious and open to discovery and chance moments. It’s also a celebration of labor and emergence, and all those beautiful things that we find in nature that allow us to keep making.
