Hector Gallegos Jr.
Héctor's ceramic path began with the elementary tasks of its production: the casting of the clay and the burning, the beginning and end of the pottery work. Later, his mother encouraged him to paint. She made the first piece for him and faced the artist's universal uncertainty: what to paint? He began with fish, and with this he began an abundant exploration of the landscape and the animal figure as a hallmark, without giving up the expressive capacities of the geometric and serial design of the painting.
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The search for personal identity, distinctive and very own, goes beyond the sculptural and pictorial language of his ceramics. Son of Graciela and Héctor Gallegos, renowned potters in Mata Ortiz, he has carved out a long and fruitful career related to the culture of the body. The ceramics and bodybuilding careers began almost simultaneously, already accumulating 18 years of experience, in a fortunate parallel life, abundant in awards and recognition at a national and international level.
Héctor recognizes that these are complementary realities, not so much opposites: notions of care, conscience, health, good materials, cleanliness; All are aspects applicable to the ceramic body, to the modeling of the human body. Water is essential, as is the concept of community. For this reason, in his house he has not only established a gallery, where he promotes his own work and that of many artists in Mata Ortiz. He also built a gym that serves as a meeting place, community integration around health, nutrition, creativity and a goal-based lifestyle.
He continually collaborates with Laura Bugarini – his partner – on pieces that they make together, creating assemblies that generate an environment of delicate and fine balance in decoration. She also engages in collective strategies to promote local talent, distributing pieces and representing her community on national and international tours.
