I remember growing up in Puerto Rico, an island with very strong religious beliefs. The obsession with religion such as Christianity, and Catholicism was something that I always feared because of the oppression towards homosexuality that the bible speaks about. I am a gay man and due to religious beliefs I felt that I could never live my truth and that I had to camouflage myself, within my culture I had to present someone else. In this series I wanted to speak to those that also felt religious oppression in their lives, from a young age to now offering this work as a way to bring attention to my community, peers, and friends. Using my personal experiences, and ideas through research that relates to religion and sexuality as a way to comment on how it affects the LGBTQ+ community mentally and physically particularly in colonized regions such as Puerto Rico. As well as celebrating those who are able to be confident in their sexuality by overcoming the stereotypical judgement. I want to continue to produce work that not only reflects on my childhood experiences in these isolated and controlled environments and ideas of gender roles and "how" and "who" we should be because of our assigned gender, but also to find common stories and create beautiful art that reflects on the uncertainties of religious oppression.
El Cielo Para los No Deseados
Recuerdo haber crecido en Puerto Rico, una isla con creencias religiosas muy fuertes. La obsesión hacia la homosexualidad de la que habla la Biblia. Soy un hombre gay y debido a creencias religiosas, sentí que nunca podría vivir mi verdad y que tenía que camuflarme, dentro de mi cultura en cual tenía que presentar a alguien más. En esta serie, quería hablar con aquellos que también sentían la opresión religiosa en sus vidas, desde una edad temprana hasta ahora ofreciendo este trabajo como una forma de llamar la atención a mi comunidad, compañeros y amigos. Utilizando mis experiencias personales e ideas a través de investigaciones relacionadas con la religión y la sexualidad como una forma de comentar sobre cómo afecta a la comunidad LGBTQ + mental y físicamente, particularmente en regiones colonizadas como Puerto Rico. Además quiero celebrar a aquellos que pueden confiar en su sexualidad superando el juicio estereotípico. Quiero continuar produciendo trabajos que no solo reflejan las experiencias de mi infancia en estos entornos aislados y controlados e ideas de roles de género y "cómo" y "quién" deberíamos ser debido a nuestro género asignado, sino también para encontrar historias comunes y crear bellas imágenes que reflexionen sobre las incertidumbres de la opresión religiosa.
Artist Biography
German Ayala Vazquez is a Photographer/Visual Artist. Born in Bayamon Puerto Rico, raised in New York and is currently living in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He is a 2020 candidate for Bachelor of Fine Art in Photography at The University of the Arts in Philadelphia. Ayala Vazquez was awarded The Adolf and Geraldine Paire full scholarship to The University of the Arts in 2018 to complete his studies in photography. During this time, he was able to continue interests in editorial and fashion photography while gaining expertise in the studio environment. Over the years Ayala Vazquez has won multiple awards for outstanding studio work from Profoto, and has been featured in multiple publications including Vogue Italia and Hunger Magazine. His main focus is to be working in the Fashion Photography Industry, as an outlet to focus on conceptual and specific bodies of work to represent for the LGBTQ+, and LatinX community by using his personal experiences, and ideas that relate to religion and sexuality as a way to comment on how it affects the LGBTQ+ community mentally and physically particularly in colonized regions.
Education
2020 The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA Bachelors in Fine Arts, Photography
Awards & Honors
2020 The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA The Nikon Ben Rose Award
2019 The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA Wacom Editing Award
The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA Alfred Ignarri Studio Photography Award
2018 - 2020 The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA Adolf & Geraldine Paire Full Scholarship
2017 Profoto Studio Excellence Award, Philadelphia, PA
Zacuto Award for Creative Imaging, Philadelphia, PA
Bibliography
Publications
2020 "Heaven for the Unwanted", Inspite Of Everything Book, May 2020
Vogue Italia, May 2020
Featured Artist, Lenscratch, Tell me a story Issue, May 2020
"Shadows" Feature, Hunger Magazine, April 2020
El Nuevo Dia Newspaper, Puerto Rico, February 10, 2020
2019 Sad Punk Press Magazine, December/Winter Issue 2019
"Modern Day Royalty", Vogue Italia, October 2019
"Modern Classical", Vogue Italia, September 2019
Professional Experience
2020 Philadelphia Photo Arts Center, Philadelphia, PA Instructor of Studio & Fashion Editorial Photography
Exhibitions
2020 Inspite of Everything Virtual Exhibition, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
Flux, AUTOMAT Collective, Philadelphia, PA
2019 Art Unleashed, The University of the Arts, Philadelphia, PA
2018 Photography Show, Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
