Crack Rodriguez lives and works in El Salvador and is a Member of the artist collaborative the Fire Theory. Through his “acciones” carried out in the streets of El Salvador, Crack Rodriguez aims to inspire consciousness and questioning among the public, in particular by forming relations with Salvadorans who aren’t directly connected or concerned with the art world. Since its bitter civil war ended in 1992, El Salvador has been ensnared by rampant gang violence and political corruption, and currently has one of the world’s highest murder rates. Rodriguez’s practice is a reaction to the widespread corruption and elitism of a government that trumpets the power of the vote and the people to control their own destiny. His performances are daring, innovative responses to the ongoing paradox of a country that claims to be a democracy, yet seems to function counter to the interests of the wider public.
Rodriguez uses loaded symbols to explore intertwined notions of commerce, democracy, pedagogy and religion. His use of his body is central to the performances, as he takes on the role of political vessel and evangelist, at times almost a parody of protest and demonstration. Some performances are repetitive and violent, hysterical expressions of his frustration with El Salvador’s static social and political climate. Rodriguez embraces the absurd, humorous and farcical as a response to a country whose sociopolitical realities defy logic, whose peoples are afflicted by loss of memory and mindless repetition of history.
Rodriguez Has participated in several exhibitions and projects by the Curating Agency, Agency for Spiritual Guest Work curated by Anne Brand Galvez among others “From the Tangible to the Intangible”, 4th Edition Nomadic Center of Contemporary Art “Tropical Interzone” & “The Virtual Residency program” Zurich.“Relocating SAL” Curated by Claire Breukel and Lucas Arevalo Ernst Hilger Gallery, Vienna “Peripheral Spectacular” curated by Eder Castillo, Mexico City & Poporopo Project, Guatemala City & la-embajada.org., “Documenting Memory” Art Center / South Florida. “ Performance Festival Acciones en el espacio publico, Tegucigalpa, Honduras. “Landings 5” Art Museum of the Americas in Washington DC. “Landings 6 and 7” at Haydee Santamaria Gallery, Casa de las Americas, Havana, Cuba. “Landings 8” Taipei Fine Arts Museum, Taipei, Taiwan. Solo shows: Circunstancias de los restos” Lokkus Arte Contemporáneo, Medellin Colombia. “Neutropolitan Attack” Eclectic Arts Festival, FEA, El Salvador. Has been nominated for the Emerging Artists Grant MISOL 2014 MISOL Foundation in Bogota, Colombia. Former fellow of the Summer Akademy Paul Klee, Curated by Hassan Khan Bern, Switzerland. Has been selected for the Artistic Residency DESPINA 2016 “Art and Activism in Latin America” Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.