“With the upcoming presidential election, I decided to reflect back on My America Is Not Your America show from 2021, whose focus was work derived from the social and political unrest brought upon President Trump, Covid-19 pandemic, and the Black Lives Matter movement. Unfortunately, due to the Covid pandemic and social distancing, the show was only viewable by appointment and the social interaction aspect of the show suffered. Since 2021, Trump has not faded away and has become more vocal and vicious in his attacks on American Democracy, while wars and conservative right-wing groups have proliferated around the world. This show, My America, Same as it Ever Was, is a look back at some of my previous work interacting and reverberating with new works that focus on recent current events.

However, what has been positive and invigorating to see is younger generations (Millennials and Gen Z in particular at this time) not blindly accepting disinformation and propaganda as they stand up to authoritarian power structures. Two subjects that have influenced my newer work have been the Conservative and extreme right-wing groups' use of religion to influence law and control American society. The second, the use of propaganda, past atrocities, victim blaming, and propaganda to attack and commit genocide by the Zionist Israeli government bombarding and killing Palestinians.

I was really hoping to step away from heavy political themes in my work for a while and take a break, but these past couple of years have been so morose that if anything it’s made good fodder for making art.

Thank you to the following people: Aneesa Shami-Zizzo and Grant Zizzo from Studio 203 for supporting my work past and present; after / time collective gallery for the opportunity to have this show; Francisco J. H., Maria C. H., Maria Espinoza, Hector Hernandez (RIP)  for tolerating and supporting my art/creative outlets in their own ways since I was a kid; Andrea, Maria, Alyssa, Delaney, Manny, Jose, and other friends who I had conversations with about current events and jokes.

And a Fuck You to: Trump, his family, the GOP, the conservative SCOTUS judges, Putin, Netanyahu, Xi Jinping, and all other fascists cunts in power.”

www.hectoromarhernandez.com / @hector.o.h