Marcos Hernández Chávez

"I began work with a series of paintings on watercolor paper with tar, sand and asphalt, and later on with layered drywall sheets, in a bas relief style. The work came as a result of constant experimentation, a reliance on construction materials, and an expressionist compositional origin. With themes of labor, craft authorship, and environmental issues, I leaned into finding new materials to create.

In 2019, I displayed my first iteration of the piece titled "I Tried to Weave a Story Too Intimate", a rope made to run through a series of pegs on the wall, created after I tore an Astros t-shirt into strips of fabric to tie together. The shirt was given to me by my mother after the family, who she had worked for over twenty years as a housekeeper and nanny, gave it to her as a hand me down. The line that the rope makes through the pegs is the bus route she would travel from our first apartment in the United States to their first house. In time, my practice moved to focus on the use of fibers. Creating small peg boards, I weave expressionist and now figurative compositions with various colored strings, layering up constantly until I could no longer use the pegs."

Marcos Hernández Chávez, born in Mexico, is a Houston raised artist based in the north/east side of Houston. He has a BFA from the University of North Texas (Denton). Chávez's work has been presented at the Galveston Arts Center, the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, the Station Museum of Contemporary Art in Houston, including spaces in Colorado, California, and New York.

Artist's CV: 

Melquíades

"Melquíades", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 24 x 18"

Remedios the Beauty

"Remedios the Beauty", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 24 x 18"

Petra Cotes +...

"Petra Cotes + Aureliano Segundo", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 24 x 18"

Colonel Aureliano Buendía

"Colonel Aureliano Buendía", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 24 x 18"

José Arcadio Segundo

"José Arcadio Segundo", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 24 x 18"

José Arcadio Buendía

"José Arcadio Buendía", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 24 x 18"

El Pitayo

"El Pitayo", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 24 x 18"

The Insomnia Plague

"The Insomnia Plague", 2024, watercolor on paper, p.s. 18 x 24"

Limpiando Nopales

"Limpiando Nopales", 2023-24, watercolor on paper, p.s. 18 x 24"

Sake Cup in Blue

Sake Cup in Blue, 2023, wool fiber woven through a peg board frame, 12 x 12"

Self-Portrait

Self-Portrait, 2022, wool fiber woven through a peg board frame, 36 x 36"

Tequila bottle still...

Tequila bottle still life (Pa’ los que fisgan y no saludan), 2022, wool fiber woven through a peg board frame, 24 x 12"

Sake Cup in Yellow

Sake Cup in Yellow, 2022, wool fiber woven through a peg board frame, 12 x 12"

Picando Pitayas

Picando Pitayas, 2022, wool fiber woven through a peg board frame, 18 x 12"

Mezcal and cups still...

Mezcal and cups still life (Pa’ los que invitan aun cuando saben como me pongo), 2022, wool fiber woven through a peg board frame, 24 x 12"

Beto y Tía Manuela

Beto y Tía Manuela, 2022, wool fiber woven through a peg board frame, 18 x 12"

Naturaleza Muerta con...

Marcos Hernandez Chavez, "Naturaleza Muerta con Jarro de Tierra Nueva", 2021, woven wool on board with pegs, 24 x 24"
Marcos Hernandez Chavez, "Naturaleza Muerta con Jarro de Tierra Nueva", 2021, woven wool on board with pegs, 24 x 24" (detail)
Marcos Hernandez Chavez, "Naturaleza Muerta con Jarro de Tierra Nueva", 2021, woven wool on board with pegs, 24 x 24" (detail)

El baile de los que...

"El baile de los que sobran (sketch)", 2022, watercolor on paper, 22 x 22"

Naturaleza muerta con...

"Naturaleza muerta con jarro de tierra nueva (sketch)", 2022, watercolor on paper, 10 x 11"

La cena del año viejo ...

"La cena del ano viejo (sketch)", 2022, watercolor on paper, 22 x 22"

y mi voz que madura

y mi voz que madura, 2021, various colored embroidery cotton string on handbuilt wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"

el reino de los suelos...

el reino de los suelos (memento mori), 2021, various colored embroidery cotton string on handbuilt wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"

We shall dance to our...

We shall dance to our own accord, 2021, various colored strings woven through wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"

aun siendo hijo de...

aun siendo hijo de Hernan, se que llevo las llaves en la boca, 2021, various colored strings woven through wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"

Hey you, up above so...

Hey you, up above so high. Too far to more know the land. Come down, no need to be shy., 2020, various colored strings woven through wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"

hacia el arco, por...

hacia el arco, por debajo del diluvio, 2020, various colored embroidery cotton strings on handbuilt wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"
hacia el arco, por debajo del diluvio, 2020, various colored embroidery cotton strings on handbuilt wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"
hacia el arco, por debajo del diluvio, 2020, various colored embroidery cotton strings on handbuilt wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"
hacia el arco, por debajo del diluvio, 2020, various colored embroidery cotton strings on handbuilt wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"
hacia el arco, por debajo del diluvio, 2020, various colored embroidery cotton strings on handbuilt wood frame with pegs, 12 x 12"

Mirror or Mirage XXXXII

Mirror or Mirage XXXXII, 2018, asphalt, sand, and tar on paper, p.s. 23 x 22 3/4" / f.s. 24 5/8 x 24 1/2"

Sketch for "...

Sketch for "Herencias VIII", 2019, charcoal on paper, 22 1/2 x 25 1/2"

Marcos Hernandez, ...

Mirror or Mirage, 26, 2020, asphalt, sand, tar on paper, 8 x 8"

Marcos Hernandez, ...

Mirror or Mirage, 27, 2020, asphalt, sand, tar on paper, 8 x 8"

Sold Inventory

Flor de enero (sketch)

"Flor de enero (sketch)", 2022, watercolor on paper, 22 x 22"

El baile de los que...

"El baile de los que sobran (The corn eaters)", 2022, woven yarn on hand built frame, 96 x 96"

Marcos Hernandez, ...

Marcos Hernandez, "Mirror or Mirage, 1A", 2019, asphalt, sand, and tar on paper, p.s. 8 x 8" / f.s. 12 x 12"

Herencia I

Herencia I, 2016, carved relief on drywall, 24 x 24"

Untitled (June)

Untitled (June), 2017, cut woven mesh fiberglass fabric on stretcher, 30 x 30"

Herencia V

Herencia V, 2017, carved relief on drywall, 24 x 24"

Herencia IV

Herencia IV, 2016, carved relief on drywall, 24 x 24"

Mirror or Mirage XXXII

Mirror or Mirage XXXII, 2016, tar, sand, asphalt on paper, 11 1/2 x 10"/f.s. 16 x 15"

Mirror or Mirage XXXIII

Mirror or Mirage XXXIII, 2016, asphalt, sand, tar on paper, s.s. 11 1/2 x 10" / f.s. 16 x 15"

Mirror or Mirage XXXIV

Mirror or Mirage XXXIV, 2016, tar, sand, asphalt on paper, 9 1/2 x 11"/f.s. 15 x 16"

Mirror or Mirage XIX

Mirror or Mirage XIX, 2016, asphalt, sand, tar on paper, s.s.23 x 30" / f.s. 28 1/2 x 36 1/2"

Mirror or Mirage XVI

Mirror or Mirage XVI, 2015, asphalt, sand, tar on paper, s.s. 22 x 30" / f.s. 28 1/2 x 36 1/2"