RESUME/BIO
aBOUT THE ARTIST
Hugo Ximello-Salido is a self-taught, Mexican-American artist whose work explores cultural identity, personal identity, communication, connection, and more. Born and raised in Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, Mexico, Ximello-Salido’s natural creativity and passion for painting stems from a family background full of artists. Upon moving to the United States, initial cultural shocks and difficulty with communication prompted him to begin expressing himself visually and to develop his own style and techniques.
Ximello-Salido’s early work was primarily inspired by the traditions and colors of Mexican culture. Through a fusion of folkloric symbols, old-world history, and contemporary social issues, the artist creates a dialogue about identity and culture that abounds with color and texture. He continues to find inspiration in the intersection of various communities, especially the LGBT community, and strives to convey distinct yet universal perspectives to the viewer through his work.
Ximello-Salido’s paintings have been displayed in galleries and at events in both Mexico and the United States (including at the Agora Gallery in New York City), and the artist has been featured in several print articles and a documentary, Art Views: Creativity and Culture in Kansas City.
Ximello-Salido’s early work was primarily inspired by the traditions and colors of Mexican culture. Through a fusion of folkloric symbols, old-world history, and contemporary social issues, the artist creates a dialogue about identity and culture that abounds with color and texture. He continues to find inspiration in the intersection of various communities, especially the LGBT community, and strives to convey distinct yet universal perspectives to the viewer through his work.
Ximello-Salido’s paintings have been displayed in galleries and at events in both Mexico and the United States (including at the Agora Gallery in New York City), and the artist has been featured in several print articles and a documentary, Art Views: Creativity and Culture in Kansas City.
ARTIST STATEMENT
As a native Mexican, culture and tradition are a vital part of my heritage. As a Mexican-American, I am fascinated by the dialogue between different cultures and traditions. As an artist, I explore personal experiences, emotions, and connections through the lens of my past and present in order to create a vibrant future. Through my work, I strive to increase social awareness of the many parts of my intersectional identity and experience as a Mexican-American member of the LGBTQ community.
My early work focuses on the legacy of Mexican culture and its collision with the American experience. Major inspirations include Mexican colonial style, "La Catrina" (the elegant skull), and other culturally significant symbols such as La Loteria Mexicana (Mexican bingo), papel picado (perforated tissue paper), and Talavera. I use a variety of materials, including acrylic paint, ink, gels, sand, papier-mâché, spray paint, and more to modernize, revive, and reinvent the Mexican art that inspires me.
Through each piece, I seek to convey a unique yet universal sense of being, feeling, or thought. I hope to challenge stereotypes, commercialization and commodification, and the arbitrary barriers we create between our shared humanity. My point of view emerges from varied perspectives on language, cultural differences, race, cultural bias, and more. My process is meditative and expressive, an expulsion of demons and a dispensation of beauty.
By crafting original artworks inspired by Mexican folklore, diverse communities, and daily experiences, I endeavor to bridge the gap between past and present as a modern, Mexican-American artist.
Three Things I Believe As An Artist. Anyone can create art; Art should be accessible and affordable to everyone; All work should be original.
Written by Vincent Wagner
My early work focuses on the legacy of Mexican culture and its collision with the American experience. Major inspirations include Mexican colonial style, "La Catrina" (the elegant skull), and other culturally significant symbols such as La Loteria Mexicana (Mexican bingo), papel picado (perforated tissue paper), and Talavera. I use a variety of materials, including acrylic paint, ink, gels, sand, papier-mâché, spray paint, and more to modernize, revive, and reinvent the Mexican art that inspires me.
Through each piece, I seek to convey a unique yet universal sense of being, feeling, or thought. I hope to challenge stereotypes, commercialization and commodification, and the arbitrary barriers we create between our shared humanity. My point of view emerges from varied perspectives on language, cultural differences, race, cultural bias, and more. My process is meditative and expressive, an expulsion of demons and a dispensation of beauty.
By crafting original artworks inspired by Mexican folklore, diverse communities, and daily experiences, I endeavor to bridge the gap between past and present as a modern, Mexican-American artist.
Three Things I Believe As An Artist. Anyone can create art; Art should be accessible and affordable to everyone; All work should be original.
Written by Vincent Wagner
EXHIBITIONS
SOLO
-APRIL 2009, Private exhibit, “Contrast” Kansas City, MO
-MAY 2010, Scion Lab “Colors That Vibrate” Kansas City, MO
-FEBRUARY 2011, Centro Cultural Casa de los Colomos, Secretaria de Cultura, “Brochazos de Jubilo” Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
-APRIL 2011, Punto del Arte- Café/Galería, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
-SEPTEMBER 2014, Johnson County Community College, Diversidad,” Catrinas y Algo Mas”, Overland Park, KS
-SEPTEMBER 2015, Johnson County Community College, Hispanic Heritage Month, “Catrinas y Talavera”, Overland Park, KS
-AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2016, Second Presbyterian Church Brookside, “Sugestiones Coloridas”, Kansas City, MO
-DECEMBER 2017-JANUARY 2018, The Westside Local, Kansas City, MO
-MARCH 2018, Second Presbyterian Church Brookside, Kansas City, MO
-MARCH 2018, Starbucks Art Gallery Space 39th St, Kansas City, MO
-AUGUST-NOVEMBER 2018, The Culinary Center of Kansas City, "Local Life", Kansas City, MO
-OCTOBER 2018, All Souls Gallery, "Mis Catrinas", Kansas City, MO
-SEPTEMBER-DECEMBER 2018, Blue Valley Library, “Art Views: Creativity and Culture in Kansas City”, Overland Park, KS
-MARCH 2019, Bistro 303, "A Phallic Expression- an exhibit about male circumcision awareness", Kansas City, MO
-SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER 2019, Cafe Trio "Solo Art Exhibit", Kansas City, MO
-NOVEMBER 2019, Kansas City Artists Coalition "Dead is Natural But Our Reaction to Dead Are Unnatural", Kansas City, MO
GROUP
-JUNE 2010, Boveri Realty Group, Crossroads Art District “First Fridays” Kansas City, MO
-MARCH 2011, Vestíbulo del Foro de Arte y Cultura , Secretaria de Cultura. “Celare” Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico
-OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2014, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery, “Day of the Dead” Kansas City, MO
-MARCH/APRIL 2015, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery, “Los Colores de la Vida” Kansas City, MO
-APRIL 2015, Images Art Gallery 11th Annual Juried Art Show, Overland Park, KS
-SEPTEMBER 2015, Art Westport- 37th Annual Local art fair, juried art show, Kansas City, MO
-OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery, “Day of the Dead” Kansas City, MO
-MAY 2016, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery, “Chicano Voice” Kansas City, MO
-JUNE/AUGUST 2016, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery, ”Lucha Libre” Kansas City, MO
-OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2016, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery, “Day of the Dead” Kansas City, MO
-FEBRUARY/APRIL 2017, ButtonWood Art Space, “Urban + Abstract” Kansas City, MO
-JULY/SEPTEMBER 2017, ButtonWood Art Space, “World Vision” Kansas City, MO
-OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2017, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery, “Day of the Dead“ Kansas City, MO
-JULY 2018, Agora Gallery, "The Figure and Unknown Places" Chelsea, New York City
-OCTOBER 2018, Roeland Park City Hall, "Diverse Perspectives" Kansas City, KS
-OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2018, Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery, "Day of the Dead", Kansas City, MO
-NOVEMBER 2018, Kansas City Artist Coalition, "One Night Stand", Kansas City, MO
-DECEMBER-JANUARY 2019, SPA on Pen, Kansas City, MO
-MARCH 2019, Oak Street Mansion "Art Hotel", Kansas City, MO
-MAY 2019, Mattie Rhodes Art Center & Gallery "Chicano", Kansas City, MO
-JULY 2019, Interurban Arthouse, "The Queer Experience" Overland Park, KS
-JULY 2019, Raw Artists “Natural Born Artists” Kansas City, MO
-AUGUST 2019, Interurban Arthouse, "Tangled Roots" Overland Park, KS
-OCTOBER-NOVEMBER 2019, Mattie Rhodes Art Gallery, "Day of the Dead", Kansas City, MO
-DECEMBER-JANUARY 2019-2020, Interurban Arthouse, "Members Showcase" , Overland Park, KS
donations
-2010, Good Samaritan Project “Corks & Canvas” Fundraiser Event, Boulevard Brewery Company, KCMO
-2012, Good Samaritan Project “Corks & Canvas” Fundraiser Event, Studio Dan Mainers, KCMO
-2013, Good Samaritan Project “Corks & Canvas” Fundraiser Event, Studio Dan Mainers, KCMO
-2015-2018, Prairie Baptist Church, "Wacky Action Alzheimer Annual Fundraiser" Prairie Village, KS
-2017, Heartland Men's Chorus "Dinner of Note" Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO
-2017, Literacy KC "Corporate Spelling Bee" Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO
-2018, Heartland Men’s Choir, “Dinner of Note” Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO
-2018, Good Samaritan Project, "Flavor events" Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO & Shawnee, KS
-2019, Kansas City Artists Coalition, “36th Annual Action Fundraiser” Kansas City, MO
-2019, Walk AIDS Fundraising event, "House Party" Kansas City, MO
-2019, Unicorn Theater, "Boho Bash" Fundraiser Event Kansas City, MO
-2019, Hearland Men;s Chorus "Dinner of Note" Fundrasing Event, Kansas City, MO
-2019, Gay Sofball Wold Series, "AIDS Walk KC", Kansas City, MO
-2019, Owen /Cox Dance Group, "For The Love Of Dance", Kansas City, MO
-2012, Good Samaritan Project “Corks & Canvas” Fundraiser Event, Studio Dan Mainers, KCMO
-2013, Good Samaritan Project “Corks & Canvas” Fundraiser Event, Studio Dan Mainers, KCMO
-2015-2018, Prairie Baptist Church, "Wacky Action Alzheimer Annual Fundraiser" Prairie Village, KS
-2017, Heartland Men's Chorus "Dinner of Note" Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO
-2017, Literacy KC "Corporate Spelling Bee" Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO
-2018, Heartland Men’s Choir, “Dinner of Note” Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO
-2018, Good Samaritan Project, "Flavor events" Fundraiser Event, Kansas City, MO & Shawnee, KS
-2019, Kansas City Artists Coalition, “36th Annual Action Fundraiser” Kansas City, MO
-2019, Walk AIDS Fundraising event, "House Party" Kansas City, MO
-2019, Unicorn Theater, "Boho Bash" Fundraiser Event Kansas City, MO
-2019, Hearland Men;s Chorus "Dinner of Note" Fundrasing Event, Kansas City, MO
-2019, Gay Sofball Wold Series, "AIDS Walk KC", Kansas City, MO
-2019, Owen /Cox Dance Group, "For The Love Of Dance", Kansas City, MO
Artwork presentations
2013 - Shawnee Mission South High School, "Day of the Dead" Overland park, KS
2015 - United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, "Art Technique demonstration" Leawood, KS
2016 - Second Presbyterian Church Brookside, "Day of the Dead & Altar de Muertos" Kansas City, MO
2017 - United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, "Art Technique demonstration" Leawood, KS
2019 - Oak Hall Condominiums, "The Oak Hall Art Soirée Series" Kansas City, MO
2019 - Kansas City Artists Coalition, "Day of the Dead and Muxes" Kansas City, MO
2020 - United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, "Art Technique demonstration" Leawood, KS
2015 - United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, "Art Technique demonstration" Leawood, KS
2016 - Second Presbyterian Church Brookside, "Day of the Dead & Altar de Muertos" Kansas City, MO
2017 - United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, "Art Technique demonstration" Leawood, KS
2019 - Oak Hall Condominiums, "The Oak Hall Art Soirée Series" Kansas City, MO
2019 - Kansas City Artists Coalition, "Day of the Dead and Muxes" Kansas City, MO
2020 - United Methodist Church of the Resurrection, "Art Technique demonstration" Leawood, KS
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Kansas City Artists Coalition
InterUrban Arthouse
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
Mid-America Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
ArtsKC
InterUrban Arthouse
The Nelson Atkins Museum of Art
Mid-America Gay & Lesbian Chamber of Commerce
ArtsKC
education/nationality
Self-Taught
Mexican-American (Born and raised in Mexico)
Mexican-American (Born and raised in Mexico)