Jesús Mora
Location: Fullersburg Woods Nature Education Center
GPS Coordinates: 41.8278785, -87.932282255
Hometown: Toronto, Canada
Mora was born in 1971 in Naucalpan, Mexico. In 1995 he studied drawing and painting at the Casa de la Cultura de Chapultepec and attended courses at Unidad Cuahutemoc, Community Center in Mexico City. In 1997 he moved to Canada where he continued learning at the Toronto School of Art and later, in 2004, completed the Drawing and Painting Program at the Ontario College of Art.
Mora has participated in several art projects, more than 100 exhibitions in Cuba, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, U.S.A., Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain, Brazil, Serbia, and England. Mora has facilitated workshops in communities and attended artist residencies in Canada, Cuba and Serbia and has collaborated artistically with different art organizations in Canada such as Red Pepper Spectacle Arts (as an associate artist), ANDPVA, Centro Cultural Casa Maiz, LCCA, Art Starts, SAVAC, Art City, Urban Arts and LACAP among others.
Mora's work has been recognized by the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation, the Pollock and Krasner Foundation, the Ontario Arts Council, the Canada Arts Council and CONACULTA in Mexico. He is the founder and co-director of the Day of the Dead celebration at Wychwood Barns in Toronto, Canada.
Title of Work: Space - Facing Time
Description of Work: The artistic intervention of this piece is a tribute to our ancestry, culture, people, nature and mother earth. Is an approach to our past as people from Mesoamérica all the way to Turtle Island. An opportunity to exalt some elements that make us up as descendants of this great ancient culture. It is a way of facing the course of how Olmec civilization has shaped into who we are today as Mexicans.
My main inspiration is the monoliths per se, a colossal piece full of mysticism from a culture whose knowledge spans many tribes and transcends time and space. This piece represents the 4 elements, 4 colors of corn that makes up all of humanity, 4 directions, heart of the universe and heart of Mother Earth. It speaks of the duality implicit in ancestral knowledge as well as the migration for generations and sacrifices that it entails.
Click below to join our email list and receive updates directly in your inbox!
Timeline of Events
Artists in Mexico have begun painting and 15 national artists will arrive in May of 2024 to paint 15 heads here in DuPage County on-site at the McAninch Arts Center at College of DuPage. This exciting international exhibition has already begun and will be completed in June of 2024.
Get Involved!
Artists can only participate by way of a sponsorship. Local, state and private institutions in the US or Mexico are invited to join in this unique opportunity to showcase modern-day murals reflecting Mexican American culture and regional interpretational art. We are confident that by participating in this project as a sponsor, you will be fulfilling the mission of your organization. Sponsors will be a part of a once in a lifetime opportunity to collaborate with multiple entities and organizations around North America, which can bring more awareness and support to your organization’s efforts. We are working together for one cultural, artistic, and educational purpose that will bring so many people together in a very unique way. Additionally, you will be supporting one of your local artists taking part in a major career opportunity that promises unique experiences, enhancement of their artistic skills, and a chance to display their talents on a monumental canvas. What an amazing opportunity!