For Rogelio Manzo, the practice of portraiture is more than a way to capture a likeness. His darkly compelling images of the human figure reflect a blend of cultural influences -as well as an underlying concern with the fragility of life-. In his work Manzo seeks to reveal the character of his subjects as they are "forced" to be themselves. "Through these works I am exploring the different stages of our lives as human beings," Manzo explainsManzo studied architecture while simultaneously making an informal study of painting. But he found architecture "too strict." In the following years, he brought his architectural and drafting skills to play -working in that field to earn a living- until eventually, he made the welcome discovery that full-time commitment to his passion for art was in fact a viable career choice. Although Manzo has been developing his technique and exploring portraiture for about 19 years now, -he “will never stop exploring portraiture”, as he ensures us- he has been working on other subjects and areas that interest him, “I´m a pragmatic artist, I'm always curios of finding new ways in trying to make sense of my reality” he states. Manzo's brush with architecture inadvertently yielded his unusual choice of materials -resin panels designed for use as interior wall treatments, as well as metal panels (copper, aluminum, stainless steel), synthetic paper, fabrics, resin, etc.; and also traditional materials like paper and canvas and metals like bronze, copper and aluminum he uses in sculpture-. He likes to play with different techniques and art types, to make them work together like edging, screen-printing, oil painting, image transfers, stitching, ceramics, sculpture, video and art installation, etc. He produces an assemblage of multidisciplinary techniques that transcend typical visuals trying to find new ways of visual deciphering. In his bi-dimensional work, for instance, he manipulates the panels, sanding and preparing them to accept transfer images as well as paint, and adding layers of silk and other fabrics. He has experimented with all these materials, eventually hitting on a combination that allows a light-infused and reflective surface to mitigate the dark imagery. In most of these works, Manzo places the figures in the foreground with rarely a sense of an environment. Thus, the viewer is forced to focus on the Cubistic fragmented visages and figures that are painted with an expressionistic fervor. The surfaces of these oil paintings range from thick impasto to thin washes with areas of the background left bare. This treatment adds to the sensation of his subjects being flayed to reveal their innermost feelings, the artist has great freedom to "let the painting develop by itself," he explains. Because of the slow drying of the oil medium, Manzo works on as many as five paintings at the same time. The artist freely admits his imagery skirts the macabre. While we might be shocked or disturbed by the work, the balance between horror and beauty seduces us in, like a spine-tingling movie giving us goosebumps that are somehow, ultimately pleasurable. The artist has used different elements in his works to make them “approachable”, sleek and sophisticated materials ornamenting his sitters. ¨Through ornaments I'm channeling a shorter distance between the viewer and the artwork. The bleak and crude way of developing my subjects might not be easy to visually digest, so I play with these elements of attenuation…”Manzo also has a deeper message underlying the work, drawing attention to the death and injustice surrounding us in the world -things which many of us often prefer to ignore-. In addition, his work reminds us of our shared mortality and fragility.Rogelio tells us he finds inspiration in the work of artists and is influenced by all sorts of art from many cultures, but that his Mexican heritage has imbued in him a strong desire to create work that looks "hand-made” yet refined. “I've seen a lot of work out there that looks so perfectly done, so clean, it looks like a machine did it... but for me, I almost have to have my hand print embossed on it with a cautious manufacture."Manzo's work is shown throughout the USA, Mexico and Europe, at solo and group shows in commercial galleries, international art fairs and museums, most notably at The Museum of Modern Art in Mexico City. And his work has been included in important private collections throughout like The Karen and Robert Duncan Art Collection, El Museo de La Cancillería, Mexico City and Museo Alfredo Zalce en Morelia Michoacán.