Esta-er(x): Jobs and the Visual Everyday by Altan Arceo-Witzl

In this juicy, 8-page folded zine, Atlan Arceo-Witzl leads us through an exciting labyrinth of illustrations inspired by Work. A fold-out poster features "Mickey Pylon" and other soon-to-be-favorite characters. Text in English and Spanish. Double-sided, one-page foldout format with 12x18'' poster. Screenprinted in 5 colors on French Paper Co. Jellybean Green. From the artist: "In my artistic practice I try to make something everyday. For as long as I can remember I have been compelled to draw and create visual things, to communicate with those around me. It is only within the past several years that I have come to recognize this ritual as a process. The need I have to create something when an image flashes in my mind or when I resonate with some external visual creates conditions that I have to deal with in the moment. My hand and mind are guided by time restraints, available materials, subject matter, visual and/or concept intricacy, usefulness, etc. These factors enable a variety of productive creation rituals. I see these moments of habit mirrored in everyday tasks like sipping on coffee or combing your hair. In experiencing these moments as tasks you will often find that a ritual requires a tool or ritual object. I often include objects that I think are useful and have an intriguing form: comb, mug, radiator, telephone. My imagery is built upon the amalgamation of lines and forms that share a highly graphic aesthetic that sits somewhere between craft handiwork and industrial production of printed ephemera. Each component of my images I see as an icon or symbol. I am intrigued by the visual language of Mesoamerican and indigenous cultures around the world as well more modern institutions like the United States Postal Service and the way humans can compose a logical visual network. I hope to instill a sense of ancientness and modernity in my work, continuing to bridge time and place with the way we make use of objects and visual symbols in the ritual of communication. BIO: Atlan Arceo-Witzl is a Mexican-American visual artist and creator whose work is concerned with everyday rituals, icons, symbols, objects, and language. In his artistic practice, the cultural production of print ephemera, craft of the sign-painting industry, redefining "American" through a Latinx lens, and documenting/ recording of events across multiple mediums/ languages are current points of focus. He is a graduate of Skidmore College with a Bachelors of Science in Studio Art with a concentration in relief printmaking and sculpture. He lives in Chicagoland, IL pursuing a career in the arts and education while enjoying the fascinating human game of communication. More at: https://www.atlanaw.com/