Devan Shimoyana in front of his painting, The Star. Image courtesy of Ñito Salas.
There is the magician, the hermit, the devil, the force, the hanged man, the lover, the star, the madman and the judgement. Nine major subjects of the classic tarot of the 15th century that break with all convention. The figures shed their traditional image and are decorated with jewel-like eyes, Swarovski crystals, flowers and a lot (but a lot) of bling. All of them, moreover, are black.
Devan Shimoyama declares his Afro-American and queer identity, presenting himself as a contemporary and diverse arcanum, a 'radical act' with which he launches a message against racism and homophobia with a cheerful aesthetic.
Tell Me, which will be in Malaga until 27 August , is the Philadelphian artist's first exhibition in Spain and consists of fifteen pictorial collages around two metres high and in which he deploys a stack of colours and materials. Oils, pencils and vinyl paint are mixed with sequins, brooches, crystals, pieces of clothing and glitter. The result is attractive compositions with a "magical and joyful aura", says Helena Juncosa, curator of the exhibition together with Fernando Francés. A look that refers to the world of drag, queer culture, anime, cinema and fashion, the universe that surrounds Devan Shimoyama, 34. They are elements of "a zone of interstice" between the two identities, masculine and feminine, in which he feels "safe".
