Carlos Villa: Worlds in Collision

“Terrific. . . . a fascinating document of Villa’s bold and experimental self-expression.” —The New York Times

Worlds in Collision also includes artworks that show Villa exploring his cultural identity through his own body. For example, Villa painted Maori-inspired tattoos on an image of his own face in Tat2 (1971), which represents his growing desire to show his identification with indigenous peoples throughout the Pacific and the Americas.

Villa’s turn to his ethnic roots as a way to inform his art, his positioning of himself and his work within a larger cross-cultural lineage and community, and his commitment to grassroots activism now seem prescient. He self-consciously created a foundation for succeeding generations of Asian American and other diasporic artists to build upon, “so that [they] won’t have to ‘recuperate’ or ‘reinvent’ themselves in the same way that I and other artists who preceded them have had to do.” Presentations in Lee Gallery and the Shriram Experiential Learning Center showcase the work of select Filipino American artists that Villa mentored during his 40 years as a professor at the San Francisco Art Institute, including Michael Arcega in collaboration with Paolo Asuncion; Lian Ladia in collaboration with Sherwin Rio; Paul Pfeiffer; and the trio of Eliza O. Barrios, Reanne Estrada, and Jenifer K Wofford, as artist collective, the Mail Order Brides/M.O.B.

Villa has justly been called the most important Filipino American artist of the 20th century and has long been known as an “artist’s artist.” Worlds in Collision shows us that he also deserves to be recognized as one of the most important artists of his generation.

“Powerful…visual magic.” —San Francisco Chronicle

“Breakthrough.” —Hyperallergic

“Makes Filipino Art History.”—W

“Transformational… broadens the horizon.” —Juxtapoz

“Brims with celebration.” —San Francisco Examiner

“Amazing.”—Thrillist

“Illuminates the global importance of Villa’s art.” —Travel Mag

“Much-anticipated.” —KQED

The Story Continues 

Carlos Villa: Roots and Reinvention 

San Francisco Arts Commission Galleries: Jun 17–Sep 3

Carlos Villa: Roots and Reinvention highlights Villa’s later art, which delves into the history of Filipino communities in America, immigration, and Villa’s own family archives. SFAC is within walking distance of the Asian Art Museum and can be easily visited the same day. Learn more…

Images: Ritual (detail), 1970–1971, by Carlos Villa (American, 1936–2013). Mixed media on unstretched canvas. Estate of Carlos Villa. Photography © Estate of Carlos Villa. Photograph by Jay Jones. Tat2 (detail), 1971, from the Tatu series, by Carlos Villa (American, 1936–2013). Ink on ITEK photograph. Estate of Carlos Villa. Photography © Estate of Carlos Villa.