Studio art and psychology major Marcus Masaki Rodriguez showcased his love of art and storytelling by curating a recent show for the Torrance Art Museum. The exhibit "Closer Now: Intimacy in a Rehabilitating Society" investigated how social constructs, power dynamics, and gender roles are barriers to intimacy in our private and public lives. According to Rodriguez, the show encourages viewers to reexamine how to establish meaningful connections in the midst of a society that is rebuilding itself in response to the pandemic.
"I focused on the idea of intimacy as a response to how disconnected we became over the course of the pandemic," he said. "I wanted the audience to think of intimacy in all its forms: domestic intimacy, intimacy of the self, and intimacy with our environment and the objects that surround our day-to-day living."
The show was a result of work Rodriguez completed as a part of the prestigious Getty Marrow Curatorial Internship program at the Torrance Art Museum last summer. The 10-week program allowed him to learn all aspects of running the art museum. One of his internship exercises was to create three hypothetical art exhibitions. Museum staff members were impressed with his projects, especially "Closer Now," so they invited him to make that show a reality.
"Being a Getty intern was a really rewarding experience," he said. "We would meet regularly over Zoom calls throughout the summer, with each intern at every institution, and discuss the role of equity in the arts. It was nice because I felt a sense of community with other ambitious people my age from diverse backgrounds without feeling like we were competing against each other."
Through "Closer Now," Rodriguez brought together the painted and photographic work of area artists Palmer Earl, Laura Krifka, Matt Lipps, Heather Rasmussen, and Ryan Schude.
Rodriguez will graduate from El Camino this spring with a degree in psychology. An artist as well, he earned a degree in studio art this past spring. His own work explores the role of symbolism in art and has been featured/recognized in area art shows and publications, including the upcoming editions of ECC's Myriad literary journal and Warrior Life magazine. He has also assisted professors in the El Camino Art Department and has been a teacher's assistant in printmaking, 2D design, watercolor, and drawing fundamentals classes, which helped him develop an interest in teaching, a field he intends to pursue in the future.
Rodriguez plans to transfer to a university next year and will participate in another Getty internship this summer at MOLAA (Museum of Latin American Art) in Long Beach. He said El Camino College helped him become sure of his career path and gave him the confidence to continue his journey through the art world.
"When I started at El Camino, I felt lost and behind my peers," he said. "I was unsure of what I wanted to study and also debating if college was going to be right for me. El Camino was perfect because it allowed me the room I needed to explore my interests while also providing the resources and financial aid I required. Eventually, I decided to pursue art full time. I'm not sure I could have confidently made that decision had it not been for the support of my professors and classmates at El Camino."