Sentrock takes flight

Before you even step inside the museum, you are greeted outside by a Bird City Saint vinyl—the artist’s signature character. Walking into the first gallery, I see a giant wooden sculpture filled with congratulations written in red and black ink from various folks from the opening. Although signing the wall or pieces during an opening is not unheard of, this feels different. Joseph Perez, otherwise known as Sentrock, is more than his art, and this exhibition and many of the pieces, including this one, are here to show it. Loved ones, students, and supporters are not only brought in to view the new works but become part of the exhibition themselves through these means.

Sentock’s first solo museum show, at the Elmhurst Art Museum.Courtesy Elmhurst Art Museum

In the next gallery, I come across a child pressing a button, making the room light up all the objects inside. Going forward, I come to the biggest part of the exhibition. A giant Bird City Saint statue lays in a pile of grass, with a low-rider bike on the left side and a paletero cart adorned in his style and flowers on the right. As I go around, I can’t help but remember all the summers I had growing up in Pilsen and Chicago’s south side in general. Sentrock, who started out writing graffiti, takes pride in his Mexican American culture and brings in cultural motifs in the new canvases created and sculptures. We are seeing Bird City Saint, just like his creator, take off.

Sobre todo, siguió volando

Aquí está, entre la cuidad

Entre las caras de los niños

Y los corazones de todos

¿Lo puedes ver? ¿Lo puedes encontrar?

“Sentrock: The Boy Who Wanted to Fly”Through 2/12: Wed-Thu noon-5 PM, Fri-Sun 11 AM-5 PM, Elmhurst Art Museum, 150 Cottage Hill, Elmhurst, elmhurstartmuseum.org, general admission $5-$18

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