On Thursday, April 9, Chris White Gallery in downtown Wilmington opened its doors for a preview of “An American Son,” the latest body of work from artist Oscar Eduardo de Paz. With this exhibition, de Paz makes his curatorial debut in his largest show to date. The show is not only a milestone for the artist, but also a significant contribution to the conversation around contemporary art in Delaware.
De Paz was born and raised in Chicago. His father’s family emigrated from Guatemala, and he spent his early childhood under the care of his grandmother. His teenage years were marked by adversity. Despite facing problems both at home and at school, he found a beacon of hope through education. He earned his GED and went on to attend the University of Delaware to pursue a doctorate in environmental policy.
During his studies, he found the pace of government work too slow to address the problems he encountered. He increasingly turned to art as a way to respond to forms of injustice that policy alone could not address. He began documenting the stories of residents affected by environmental pollution in Flint, Michigan and Chester, Pennsylvania, capturing their experiences on canvas. This in turn helped shape a practice rooted in painting, poetry, symbolism, and social witness…