Bio
Materials from exploded stars, dinosaur bones, Woolly Mammoth fur, 2,000-year-old Roman coins, and bullets from the American Civil War find a home in mixed media sculptures by Jorge Cainas, alongside commonplace items, spices, and dried flowers. Artist Jorge Cainas bound them together using materials like concrete, resin, electrical wire, and refrigeration tubing.
Jorge Cainas is an artist living and working in Seattle, Washington. He recently graduated from Full Sail University with an MFA in Media Design, and has a BA in Creative Advertising from the University of South Florida. He has also sought further art education through the Pratt Fine Arts Center in Seattle, Washington.
Jorge Cainas was born in 1993, in Tampa, Florida. His father, Jorge, was an immigrant from Cuba that started his own business before passing in 2004. His mother, Jennifer, raised him and his two sisters while working multiple jobs. Eventually she became a professor with a doctorate degree. The work ethic of his mother and father, the fragility of life, and the preciousness of time are all major driving forces in his creative output.
His father’s business was blue-collar. He used tools and materials of construction, electrical work, and satellite technology. When he passed the tools of their home workshop were unused. When Jorge Cainas became interested in sculpture he turned to these tools. His fascination with the natural world along with the available tools led him to create floral arrangements using copper wire and minerals. This innovative sculptural style became his main vehicle of expression, as he would title his pieces with poetry and wordplay.
Many of themes repeated in his work are related to science, nature, and the human experience. The intentional use and orientation of materials along with the titles express his meaning.
Artist Statement
Many of the themes repeated in my artwork are related to science, nature, and the human experience. I try to express these ideas through my artistic practices, typically taking the form of sculpture.
I use many techniques to create my sculptures such as wire wrapping, basket weaving, metalworking, and painting.
The materials I use are minerals from around the world, meteorites, fossils, antiques, everyday objects, and even edible ingredients. I hold all of these different materials together using wire, concrete, resin, glue and paint. Where I place these materials within each artwork is meant to express the concepts, play with light, utilize color, and draw connections between the materials.
After using all of these different techniques and design choices the end result is a sculpture that is usually sparkling, intricate, and abstract. It isn’t until the viewer reads the title and material list that they start to discover more of the meanings.
I create sculptures like this so that a wide audience can look at them, enjoy them, and become inspired by them. It also provides a way for me to express my thoughts and complicated inner world using a sparkling object as a barrier between the viewer and myself.
The major things that inspire me are the natural world and the many aspects of being human. It is my hope that my artwork can inspire a greater appreciation for the natural world and our fellow human beings.
