Mark Velasquez is kind of an art superhero, in that he has an alter ego. A fry cook by day, a cutting-edge photographer by night, Velasquez remains planted in real life while pushing the envelope in his artistic one. That unlikely balance caught the eye of the producers of the Bravo network’s latest reality competition series, Work of Art: The Next Great Artist. They chose Velasquez to be one of 14 competitors for the first season.
The show premieres June 9, and the episodes have already been filmed, which means one thing: Velasquez knows who won the show—but he won’t tell.
“You’d have to pay me and buy me dinner,” he said jokingly.
Whether or not he beat out the other artists for the $100,000 prize and the opportunity for a solo show at the prestigious Brooklyn Museum, if you’re looking for him these days, you’ll likely find him behind a grill.
“I still flip burgers and cook French fries during the day to stay grounded,” he said.
The opportunity to appear on the show almost didn’t happen for Velasquez, who was driving across the country last summer, taking
photos of models, when his agent and best friend saw an ad online to audition for the series.
“He said, ‘You totally have to be a part of this,’” Velasquez remembered. “I said, ‘That is the furthest thing from my mind or what I’m about.’”
He explained that he’s never been the type of artist who takes the art world too seriously.
Velasquez describes his work as edgy. And while it’s a description many artists employ, few—if any—would argue with Velasquez’s interpretation. While he’ll snap the occasional wedding or portrait photos, his real favorites are the ones that make a statement; the real, in-your-face images. Take, for instance, a photo of a black man in a white Ku Klux Klan robe, titled One of These Things is Not Like the Others. Or his American Justice, featuring three scantily clad women, their hands bound and their faces covered with American flags. Provocative and often racy, Velasquez views his work as a constant commentary on society.
Still, his friend was able to talk him into auditioning.
“It was funny,” Velasquez said. “Their first question was, ‘What do you think of the show?’ I said, ‘Good luck pulling this off if it’s anything like how it looks on paper.’ My answer must have struck a chord, because I got shepherded into the next room faster than anyone else.”
The show is described as Project Runway for artists, assembling 14 of the art world’s most talented, up-and-coming players in New York where they’re faced with the challenge of creating unique pieces in a variety of mediums, such as painting, sculpture, photography, collage, and industrial design.
Finding himself on a reality show was a surprise for Velasquez, considering he’s never been a big reality show fan.
“I’ve never watched Survivor,” he explained. “I’ve never seen a single episode of American Idol. I’ve never been into it, so this is all foreign to me.”
Still, the experience was a valuable one for Velasquez.
“I don’t think you can’t be affected by it one way or another,” he said.
From meeting important contacts, to simply taking in the big city, the experience made a lasting impression.
“Being from Santa Maria, everyone talks about wanting to get out and go to L.A. or New York, that there’s no opportunity here. I’ve always liked this area, but doing this I got to experience the excitement of New York and appreciate that,” he said.
Velasquez also got the chance to show his work to three prestigious art-world leaders—Bill Powers, a New York gallery owner and literary art contributor; Jerry Saltz, the senior art critic for New York Magazine; and Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn, curator and owner of Salon94 gallery in New York City—who acted as judges on the show.
Though they’re esteemed in their field, their words meant less to Velasquez than comments from his favorite critics in his hometown: his friends and family.
“I’ve been very lucky,” he said. “My family has always been supportive of my work. My mom wishes I’d paint pretty flowers, but she is still very supportive.”
Velasquez is currently editing his first photography book, which seeks to document his friendship with several of the small-town models he often shoots while capturing the personality behind the images.
Arts Editor Shelly Cone watches American Idol. Don’t bother her at scone@santamariasun.com on Tuesday or Wednesday nights.
This article appears in May 20-27, 2010.