Carlos Matallana
& Smyser Elementary School
Carlos Matallana & Smyser Elementary School

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carlosmatallana
carlosmatallana
carlosmatallana
carlosmatallana
carlosmatallana
carlosmatallana
carlosmatallana

Project Overview

  • __typename —

  • Artist — Carlos Matallana

  • School — Washington D. Smyser Elementary School

  • Neighborhood — Portage Park

Carlos Matallana is a Bogotá-born, Chicago-based artist and teacher. His Manual of Violence project, an investigation into the history and narrativization of violence, has stretched several years and a dozen workshops, one game, countless classrooms, and a full-length comic book teaching manual (in progress) based on his ongoing conversations about violence with his young children. Blok by Blok Podcast his most recent project, is fueled by kids resolving their own questions via research, interviews and story development.Tools and skills for the youngsters to contribute actively as opposed to consume passively.

Meet the Artist

Carlos Matallana

Portrait by Devina Yoestong

My illustration tool is ink/pen on paper, I rely on high contrast and its expressionism qualities. I prefer to illustrate my characters from the back like an anonymous quiet observant. I enjoy illustrating full body characters standing or in movement revealing attitudes and feelings through posture or even clothing instead of facial expressions. I found, however, that Illustration was not as persuasive as education (new media), where I had the chance to interact with students from diverse environments and learn from their experiences. Education led me to develop role­ play games as pedagogical tools, and challenge apprentices to create and develop their own ideas, then share it throughout new media. Both disciplines (Illustrator and Game Developer) convey my working experience, and research into complex issues, including violence, urbanism, economics, and housing, which motivates me to question my position as a father, educator and artist, then challenge the audience to reflect about their role in a complex ­rich urban society as Chicago.

Visit their Website

My illustration tool is ink/pen on paper, I rely on high contrast and its expressionism qualities. I prefer to illustrate my characters from the back like an anonymous quiet observant. I enjoy illustrating full body characters standing or in movement revealing attitudes and feelings through posture or even clothing instead of facial expressions. I found, however, that Illustration was not as persuasive as education (new media), where I had the chance to interact with students from diverse environments and learn from their experiences. Education led me to develop role­ play games as pedagogical tools, and challenge apprentices to create and develop their own ideas, then share it throughout new media. Both disciplines (Illustrator and Game Developer) convey my working experience, and research into complex issues, including violence, urbanism, economics, and housing, which motivates me to question my position as a father, educator and artist, then challenge the audience to reflect about their role in a complex ­rich urban society as Chicago.

Visit their Website

Portrait by Devina Yoestong

Previous Residency

Kioto Aoki & Mark Sheridan Math and Science Academy

Next Residency

Jay Wolke & Gary Comer College Preparatory Middle School

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