Q n A with Daniel Velasquez

What can viewers expect when coming to see your latest show?

My latest works are a compilation of illustrations that I have been working on for the last year. Each of the major illustrations portrays a theme that I have been contemplating over the last year. Since all of the illustrations were done while I was traveling, each drawing has symbols and icons that are reflective of the different locations where the illustrating took place. Most of the prints have common and recurring themes and symbolisms that reference a string of meanings in different cultures. My goal with these illustrations is to take the different symbolisms and ideologies and merge them into an image with a new age context. My hope is that these works will give the viewer a curiosity about different ideologies and research them to get an understanding of the greater context.

What have you been up to since the last show at 1AM?

Since my last show at 1AM i have been traveling, learning, growing, and reflecting. My first six months were spent in a different country each month.   Sometimes chasing a girl around and other times learning about different cultures ideologies, philosophies, mythologies, symbolisms, and religions. The second six months was spent doing deeper research into the origins of the images and perspectives that I was exposed to during my travels (while I sat in quarantine).  I’m excited to share that this next body of work is a compilation of illustrations from over the course of the last 12 months.

What's the soundtrack you listen to while creating? 

I’m pretty much on YouTube running audiobooks all day long. I'm super into anything related to philosophy, mythology, spirituality, relationships, religion, sustainability and engineering. I'm thinking of starting a book club. I’m an auditory learner so I retain sound information the best and I usually end up reading about 4 books a week. I’m not too into fiction though just raw information.

What is the dream project you want to be working on next?

I have some pretty rad ideas for concrete sculptures but I’m still looking for a public space and funding to create the projects.  

If you could paint one message on the 1AM wall for the world today, what would that be?

I’ve been really into the imagery of a dog biting it’s own tail that's a snake and spinning in circles. That image to me sums up the times today. The racism, fires, pandemic, all of it. Will the dog bite all the way through it’s tail before it realizes it's a part of him?