Bio
Javier Roberto Carlos (b. Guatemala 1981) is an interdisciplinary artist whose work explores the socio-political fabric of Latin America, the impact of settler colonialism on U.S. landscapes, and the imprint of late capitalism within the backdrop of the Anthropocene era.
Inspired by the sublimity of landscape, Javier crafts documentaries and video installations that serve as complex and layered explorations of history, memory, and subjectivity. His cinematic lens delves into the spaces, places, and pivotal moments where social, political, and cultural structures shape visible and tangible realities. Grounded in the ethos of bearing witness, his artistic practice uncovers the overlooked, offering compelling narratives employing a view that is both restrained, yet intimate.
In addition to his moving image work, Javier's artistic repertoire expands to sculptural work, where he challenges the perceived value of art as a commodity for the affluent. His latest neon sculpture bears the provocative message "Art is a Scam," combining a tongue-in-cheek approach with a thought-provoking artistic expression that invites critical reflection on the intersections of wealth and art.
Javier's work has been showcased at institutions and festivals worldwide, including SFMOMA, The San Francisco Indie Film Festival, Full Frame Documentary Festival, Sheffield Documentary Festival among others. He has been supported by numerous residencies, including The Headlands Center for The Arts, The Djerassi Resident Artists Program, and The SFFILM FilmHouse. He's been honored with The Princess Grace USA and Ford Foundation JustFilms Award, The San Francisco Arts Commission Individual Artist Grant, The Delphic Art Award in Berlin, Germany, and the Phelan, Murphy, & Cadogan Fellowship in the Fine Arts. Notably, his film work has earned the President's Award at the Full Frame Documentary Festival (2017), Best Short Documentary at the Icaro International Film Festival in Guatemala City (2017), and an International Documentary Association Award nomination (2016).