Nathan Hosmer Nevarez
As a queer child of an Ecuadorian immigrant, I explore the mythologies of demons through paintings and tapestries that offer alternative narratives to their often one-dimensional portrayals. My work delves into the histories of those who are marginalized, shedding light on their stories and the systems that other them.
My work is heavily inspired by the Chuzalongo myth, a legend from southern Ecuador that was born from the raping of Indigenous women by Spanish Criollos in colonial Ecuador. In an effort to escape accountability, these men created the tale of the Chuzalongo, a blue-eyed, blonde-haired demon that has backwards feet so he can’t be tracked and an enormous penis. This origin story forms the basis of my exploration into how societies create and shift the identities of demons to maintain power dynamics and control. While in Ecuador during the forest fires of 2024, I began using fire as a metaphor to discuss how the demon role constantly changes to burden whoever society fears the most.
