Maria Cristina Jadick, Texas Sculpture Group

From Houston, Texas

Artist Statement:

Through my work I fell compelled to build bridge that connect people.  My art's main purpose is to evoke compassion while creating space for dialogue.  The conceptual and research based art I make is multidisciplinary in approach; integrating combinations of bricolage, photography, video, printmaking, performance and installation.  It reflects an authentic rather than a traditional beauty aesthetic.  My investigation into historical or current events, often uncovers commonalities in human experience, this gathered material helps inform and motivate the art I create with thought provoking perspectives on issues of global concern, such as, cultural identity, social justice, war, displacement, global pandemic and climate change.

Artist Biography:

Maria Cristina "Cristy" Jadick has lived most of her life in Houston as an artist and homemaker.  For twenty years her work has exposed social inequities and tragic historical events, from the unjustified sacrifice of American recruits serving in the Gulf Wars, to the urban displacement, exile and homelessness, brought upon by post war trauma, indigence, immigration, and extreme weather.  Social wounds such as these, find expression in Jadick's conceptual, multi-media art installations.  She prints, draws, collages, stitches, weaves, bandages, skillfully assembling charged testimonial objects, poignant images, words and signs, all of which contextualize an explosive, evocative, visual narrative.  Jadick earned her B.A. from Gettysburg College in Gettysburg, PA and pursued Art & Social Sciences studies at the Transart Foundation-Houston, TX (with Surpik Angelini and Abdel Hernandez,) The Glassell School-MFA Houston, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, TX and the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, Washington, DC.

Her artistic career spans over 25 years, with exhibitions at the Fotofest Biennial, Bronx Latino Art Biennial, Museums in the USA, Mexico, Peru and Brazil, at numerous galleries, alternative spaces, public spaces and corporations.  Jadick has received several prestigious artist development grants from Creative Capital (NYC) and DiverseWorks Art Space.  She has served on the Artist Board at Diverse Works from 2013-2014.