RUBEN TREJO: CRUCIFORMS JANUARY 21 - APRIL 2, 2005 JUNDT ART MUSEUM· GONZAGA UNIVERSITY • SPOKANE • WASHINGTON
Mar 31, 2016
RUBEN TREJO: CRUCIFORMSJANUARY 21 - APRIL 2, 2005
JUNDT ART MUSEUM· GONZAGA UNIVERSITY • SPOKANE • WASHINGTON
CRUCIFORMS Moreover, Trejo frequently explores and plays with the
meanings and values that a culture will assign to dif-
ferent symbols or icons. The cross series is a part of
this lifelong artistic project that Professor Trejo has em-
barked upon.
His crosses are a fascinating and powerful meditation
on this single, simple form, which is one of the most
fam iIiar and ideologically loaded symbols from the past
millennia to the present. Although the
Latin cross format has become synony-
mous with Christ's Crucifixion, the basic
cross form-two lines crossing at right
angles-in fact predates Christianity. The
earliest cruciform, the "gamma" cross, is
better known today by its Sanskrit name,
swastika.' Even though an extremely
controversial symbol in contemporary
Western societies, the swastika frequent-
ly appeared on artifacts and objects from
ancient Mediterranean civi Iizations, most
likely as a symbol of benediction or good
luck. The swastika functions as a sign
of holiness also for Brahmins and Bud-
dhists alike. And according to prehistoric
archaeologists the earl iest forms of the
cross appear to have had rei igiously symbol ic meaning
long before the advent of organized religion.
For Christians the Latin cross resonates as a sign of
One of the most respected, beloved, and prolific artists
in Washington, Ruben Trejo has remarkably humble and
unique origins. His parents, Tarascan Indians from the
Michoacan area of Mexico,.migrated north to Minnesota
around 1910 in search of work. The move to Minnesota
was initially considercd temporary, but the family stayed.
And Ruben Trejo was born and raised in a
CB & Q Boxcar in the Burlington Railroad
Yards in St. Paul. His father worked for the
railroad, while the rest of the family-Tre-
jo, his mother, and five siblings-spent ten
hours a day as migrant farm laborers. As
a Mexican-American Catholic living in
a boxcar and growing up in mid-twenti-
eth century Minnesota, Trejo experienced
early on in his life a kind of cultural oscil-
lation that involved movement within and
between two different worlds, two different
cultures. His interest in art surfaced as a
young grade school boy. Years later, as an
art student at the University of Minnesota,
Trejo started to blend his keen awareness
of cultural differences into his art. Indeed,
his work consistently reflects a particularly astute sen-
sitivity to the distinguishing features of North American
and Latino cultures and the similarities between the two.
Christ's Crucifixion. It has permeated Western visual
culture from the Middle Ages, when Europe experienced
the beginnings of an extraordinary wave of Christian im-
agery, particularly within church buildings.' That wave
subsided somewhat by the seventeenth century; how-
ever, the cross emerges constantly and consistently in
our everyday, contemporary, and largely secular world.
We can, of course, sti II experience images of the cross
in the architecture of cruciform churches. The sign of
the cross and the cross on a rosary can also provide a
direct, personal experience of it. In the home a repre-
sentation of a cross serves as an expres-
sion and reminder of a family's religious
beliefs. Yet, for many, the experience of
the cross takes place within museums-
the "sacred" space of art. For some, the
cross as jewelry or as a tattoo is a public
expression of one's faith, but, for many
others who wear it on the body, it may
be strictly a fashion accessory. Or on
the side of a road or highway a cross
may mark the spot where a loved one
was killed in an automobile accident.
It has also been co-opted as a symbol
of racial and religious hatred and big-
otry, in the perverse practice of cross
burnings. And finally, within the genre
of horror films, the cross frequently ap-
pears as a swift and reliable weapon
against bloodthirsty vampires. Thus, for
Christians and non-Christians alike, the
cross is inevitably fraught with cultural,
social, and political meanings.
During the 1970s Trejo started to ex-
plore and investigate, primarily in
welded metals, the most common
emblem of Christianity as a sculptural
form. His interest in the cross is largely
rooted in the artistic challenge that it
offers, namely the challenge to create
infinite visual variety and balance with an extremely
simple, pure shape. He often incorporates other forms
into his crosses, in particular welded nails, and repeat-
edly transforms a common symbol into a work of art that
compels the viewer to pause and reflect on some of the
most fundamental issues of design.
Trejo's Cross #45, for instance, creates an astonishing
balance of contrasts. At the core of the cross is the
standard, rigid horizontal line intersecting with a verti-
cal line, but near the tips of the cross are excessively
bent nails that look like twisted dough. With this simple
maneuver Trejo diminishes the sense of
danger and violence that a nail on a cross
could imply and imbues the work with
a bit of humor and whimsy. Moreover,
he creates a visual and conceptual ten-
sion between straight/curved, soft/hard,
and peril/whimsy. Trejo's Cross #19 also
experiments with a similar set of formal
issues.With Cross # 19 he creates a cross
in outline form whose interior is mostly
negative space partially filled with twist-
ing nails arranged on a variety of angles
and X forms arbitrarily dispersed. The
contour lines of the cross slightly bend,
giving the cross a degree of liveliness in-
stead of rigid stillness. This time it is not
just straight/curved, soft/hard but also
rigid/malleable that Trejo addresses.
The cross series, however, cannot be
reduced strictly to the category of for-
mal experimentation. Trejo often inte-
grates into his crosses a psychological
or emotional presence that is achieved
through the simplest means. Consider
Cross #75, a cross with arms that deeply
curve inward. This gesture of embrace is
loving and comforting in tone, perhaps
a reminder for the Christian viewer of
Christ's love and acceptance. Yet with
Cross # 74 we see at the top of the cross a prickly clus-
ter of nai Is that extend out, as the other three arms
exhibit the severely pointy claw-like tips from three
different blades-no welcoming, comforting gesture
of embrace at all, but one of threat and possible physi-
cal torment. Indeed, the physical is directly repre-
sented inCross # 77, one of the few crosses by Trejo
that features the body, or rather parts of the body. Two
eye-like forms appear to gaze out at
the viewer, while an outstretched hand
tangled in wire reaches up from the
top of the cross, perhaps expressi ng
physical agony, fragi Iity, and resigna-
tion. Yet the hand looks relaxed. We
do not need to see the entire body in
order to understand corporeal vulner-
ability. In this case, the hand func-
tions as visual synecdoche, expressing
the whole body or person. But Trejo
cleverly counterbalances the possible
solemnity of the wire-tangled hand by
incorporating representations of ja-
lapeno peppers along the shaft of the
cross, a witty juxtaposition that evokes
both humor and pain.
With Cross #77 and other crosses like Cross #70, Trejo
manages to insert another dimension into the psycho-
logical and formal life of his crosses, and that is the
cu Itural. Cross # 70 aIso features representations of
jalapeno peppers, which extend across and down the
length of the cross. It is a significant juxtaposition
that may seem an example of m ixi ng metaphors or
cultural clash-an abstract symbol of Christian spiri-
tuality combined with the plump, hot peppers native
to Mexico. But in fact the peppers and the cross to-
gether invoke the culture of Mexico that shaped Trejo,
even as a child growing up in Min-
nesota. On the one hand, his crosses
invite us to reflect upon and recon-
sider how we view and understand
a basic, familiar form. But a work
like Cross #70, which mixes seem-
ingly incongruent icons, prompts us
to acknowledge and reflect upon the
cultural hybridity that all modern hu-
man bei ngs in the early twenty-first
century experience.
With this simple form-two lines
crossing at right angles-Trejo cre-
ates work of astonishing richness
and complexity. Professor emeritus
of Eastern Washington University, he
is internationally recognized for his
work and has had more than twenty-five solo exh i-
bitions. His work is featured in museum collections
throughout the United States, including the Smithson-
ian Institute's ational Gallery of American Art. This exhibition at the Jundt Art Museum includes several crosses
recently made by Trejo and is the first show since 1987 devoted exclusively to his ongoing cross series.
Shalon Parker, PhD.Assistant Professor of Art History, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA
1 Information regarding the history and religious significance of the cross and swastika is from New Catholic En-cyclopedia. (Detroit: Gale/Thomson, 2004), S.II. "Cross," 4: 378-83, and s.v. "Swastika," 13: 633.2 The earliest surviving image of Christ's Crucifixion dates to c. 420. It is a small ivory relief carving now locatedin London at the British Museum. The relief panel shows Christ on the cross alive and alert, while the dead figureof Judas hanging from a tree is to the right of Christ. See New Catholic Encyclopedia, 4: 488, fig. 1, for a repro-duction of this relief. It is believed that prior to the fifth century the Crucifixion was not represented in Christianart. Christ was generally shown as the Good Shepherd, the Teacher of the Apostles, or the Pantocrator. Scholarsof early Christian art have suggested that this absence of images showing Christ on the cross was due 10 the shameand indignity associated with crucifixion, a form of capital punishment generally meted out to criminals and slavesduring the Roman Empire. Only later was the image of Christ on the Cross regarded as an inspiring and movingemblem of the faith and His sacrifice.
IMAGESCover:Cross 1147, 2001 (detail).Welded steel & cast bronze with patina, 39" x 22" x 4".
left panel:(top, left to right)Cross 1145, 2000. Welded steel with nails, 14"x 91f2"x 3".Cross #47, 2000. Welded steel with nails, 17" x 14" x 3".Cross 114,2000. Welded steel with nails, 9"x 11'h"x 2".(bottom)Cross 1143, 1999. Welded steel with nails, 21" x 8" x 2".
Center panel:Cross 1177, 1999.Wire & cast bronze with patina, 5'14"x 22'14"x 2".
Right panel:(top, left to right)Cross 1174, 2001. Welded steel, 12"x 6"x 4".Cross 1158, 2001. Welded steel with nails, 15"x 11"x 4".Cross 1175, 2001. Welded steel, 11" x 91f2"x 4".(bottom)Cross 1164,2001. Welded steel with paint, 29"x 131f2"x 1".
Right fold:Cross 1179, 2001. Welded wire & nails w/paint, 34"x48"x5".
Back cover:Cross 1147, 2001.Welded steel & cast bronze with patina, 39"x 22"x 4".
Photo credit: Barry Coon/Commercial Photographers
This publication was funded by the Jundt Art Museum's Annual Campaign 2004-2005.© Jundt Art Museum, Gonzaga University, Spokane, WA 99258-0001
RUBEN TREJOBorn January 7, 1937, St. Paul, MN; resides in Spokane, WA.
EDUCATIONLniversity of Minnesota, 1969, M.F.A.University of Minnesota, 1964, B.A., 1960, A.A.
TEACHING APPOINTMENTS1973-2003 Eastern Washington University, Cheney, WA.
(Professor Emeritus)1968-1973 SI. Teresa College, Winona. MN.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS2004 Jundt An Museum, Gonzaga Univer ity, Spokane. WA.2003 Tinman Artworks, Spokane, WA.
Kress Gallery, Spokane, WA.North Idaho College, Coeur d' Alene,lD.Chase Gallery, Spokane, WA.Reencounters, Expressions oj Latino Identity,
Exhibit Touring Services, EWU, Cheney, WA.Creative Arts Center, Pontiac, MT.Bridge Center for Contemporary Art, EI Paso, TX.Center for the Visual Arts,Metropolitan State College, Denver, CO.Portsmouth Museums, VAEsvelt Gallery, Columbia Ba in College,
Pasco, WA.Adam East Museum & Art Center,
Moses Lake, WA.Copper Village Museum & Arts Center,
Anaconda, MT.Hockaday Center for the Arts, Kalispell. MT.Cultural Events, WSU-Jri Cities, Richland, WA.Lawton Gallery, University of Wisconsin
Green Bay. WI.Gallery/Museum. Western Montana College,
Dillon, MT.pringfield Museum of An. OH.
Steensland An Museum, orthfield, M.Washington State Convention & Trade Center,
Seattle, WA.Intar Gallery, I ew York, Y.
200019991992-1997
1990
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS2004 Anistas de la Raza Cosmica, Larson Gallery,
Yakima. WAGuahatemo, La Corona Gallery, Chicago, IL.
2000-2003 /vrte Latino, Smithsonian American An Museum,Washington D.C.
Arte Latino, EI Paso, TX.An Beyond Borders, Winnipeg Art Gallery,
Manitoba, Canada.
20001997
SELECTED TRAVELING EXHIBITIONS1993-1995 Arte de Ol/V Mexico/An of the Other Mexico
Mexican Fine Arts Cenrer Museum, Chicago, TL.Museo De Artc Moderno, Mexico. D.F.Mu eo Regional De Oaxaca, Mexico.Centro Cultural Tijuana, Mexico.Palm Springs Desert Museum, CA.Mu e Del Barrio, New York City, NY.Center for the Arts, San Franci co, CA.
1990-1993 Cora Chicano Art: Resistance and AffirmationWight Art Gallery, UCLA, Los Angeles. CA.Denver Art Museum, CO.Albuquerque Museum, 1 M.San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, CA.Fresno Art Museum, CA.Tucson Museum of Art, AZ.Smithsonian American Art Museum,
Washington D.C.EI Paso Museum of Art, TX.Bronx Museum of the Arts, New York, NY.San Antonio Museum of Art, TX.
SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONSCity of Seattle Portable Works, Commission Purchase Award, WA.College of St. Teresa, Winona, MN.Dongguk niversity, Seoul, Korea.Eastern Washington niversity, Cheney. WA.Georgia Southern College, Statesboro, GA.Jundt Art Museum, Gonzaga niversity. Spokane, WA.Limerick niversity, Ireland.Iational Hispanic Cultural Center, Albuquerque, M.orthwest Museum of Arts & Culture, Spokane. WA.
Smithsonian American Art Museum, Washington D.C.Spokane City Hall, WA.St. Martin's Abbey, Lacey, WA.Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA.
SELECTED HONORS & AWARDS2003 FEDECMI Graphic Arts Workshop,
BAJa UN MISMO CIELO,Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.Spokane Arts Commission, Artist Award, WA.Northwest Regional Foundation Grant.Prernio de la Raza, CEP, EWU, Cheney. WATrustee Medal, EWU, Cheney, WA.28th Spokane Annual Competition: Individual Award Winner, WA.
20011992199119861976
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHYArt of the Other Mexico. Catalogue. Chicago: Mexican Fine Arts Center
Museum, 1993.Breaking Borders. Catalogue. Winnipeg: St. Norbert Art and Cultural Center.
1997.Contemporary Chicana and Chicano Art, Artists, Works, Culture, and
Education. vols. I & ll. Tempe: Bilingual Press. 2002.Day of the Dead. Catalogue. Belmont. CA: College of Notre Dame, 1995.Exhibiting Mestizaje: Mexican (American) Museums in the Diaspora.
Catalogue. University of ew Mexico Press.Lostc, Barbara. The Day of the Dead: Reflections/Installations. Catalogue.
pokane, WA: Jundt Art Museum, 2001.Recuentros: Washington State & Chile, Partner of Americas. 1992.Santana, Jose Luis de la Nuez. Arte y minorias en los Estados Unidos:
el ejemplo chicano. Cordoba, Spain, 200 I."Spiritual Soundbites and the An of Ruben Trejo," Third Text: Third World
Perspectives 011 Contemporary Art and Culture. London, UK. 1995.