Alebrije Armadillo/ On the Block
Current Location:
Cabinet 1 (FF1) -> Drawer F (FF1)
Location Notes:
IDC; Flat Files; Cabinet 1; Drawer F

Alebrije Armadillo/ On the Block

Artwork
Identifier:
2024.58.12
Artist:
ASMA SPEEKS
Credit:
GVSU Collection
Medium:
Spray paint on paper
Date:
2024
Dimensions:
Artworks - Height: 22" Width: 30"
Description:
An armadillo standing on a floating piece of sidewalk with pipes extending from the front and right sides; behind the armadillo is a section of chain-link fence. The armadillo has stylized designs on his face, tail, legs and body in pink, blue, purple and yellow. The background is red/purple, and features repeated tags by the artist which say "ASMA".
Historical Context:
This artwork was featured at the GVSU Art Museum as part of the 2024 exhibition, "A Single Thread: Being Latinx in West Michigan." The exhibit sought to bring a better understanding to the complexities of what it means to "be Latinx" in the United States. The artists, while representing various countries and cultures of origin, offered unique perspectives through a multitude of mediums that examined connections to Indigenous histories, hip-hop culture, immigration stories, queer community, agriculture, climate change, disability, identity, and trauma.

On his work, ASMA SPEEKS, states, "In a grey scale environment textured in concrete, being colorful and different is an act of rebellion. Discovering and expressing individual identity is an act of rebellion. The concrete world I was raised in was filled with colorful patterns of misshapen, oddly arranged letterforms and vibrant characters marching to their own beat in spite of the hard bleak environment. This piece and its accompanying mural represent an armored creature existing in its full vibrancy in a very grey world."