We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Alejandro Bonilla Jr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alejandro , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear about when you first realized that you wanted to pursue a creative path professionally.
Between watching my father make paintings and comics, Then getting accepted into The High School of Art and Design like he did, along with discovering my passion for acting . By the age 12 I considered myself a creative and knew that was the path I wanted to go professionally. Rather I’m making a scene through the stage and cameras or painting one with a bush and canvas; I always aim to create.
Alejandro , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m a Black and Afro-Latino artist from The Bronx, New York, My father, a painter who immigrated from Honduras , inspired me to pursue art. My love of taking myself to a new world made me fall for acting. I attended The High School of Art and Design, where I excelled in Advanced Placement Illustration and earned scholarships to attend the Arts Student League and The School of Visual Arts while being one of the lead actors in the school’s Theater club taking parts in many plays with lead roles. I furthered my education at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where I earned a BFA in Illustration. While attending FIT I was still able to improve my acting by joining the schools Theater Ensemble earning scholarships to acting couches and programs in NYU. MY art reflects my culture and heritage. My work has been exhibited in several galleries throughout New York City, including the Society of Illustrators. I act with depth drawing from moments in my life to better shape a character. I’ve been doing plays and films through out New York City such as Haemon in the play “Antigone”, or Chuck in the film “One of The Guys” by Lachelle Chyrsanne. My upbringing in a strong black family with traditional values, and my father’s love for art, has played a significant role in shaping my artistic journey.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
Growing up in The Bronx during the 9os I always felt the world was dominated by rigid stereotypes My mission is to break those stereotypes, to break the dichotomy and convey a different side of blackness. Thorough acting or painting and drawing. I want to capture the beauty and diversity of black lives and change the script on how we’re represented. There’s been a lot we’ve done and proven wrong but we still got ways to go and I want to keep going.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
When I was younger I’d always compared being an artist to being a god. I mean when you think about it; God really is the 1st artist right? right? haha . You create something from your mind and you bring it into the physical and make it real. Something that didn’t exist and couldn’t without you is now here and it probably will remain here longer then yourself I’ve always been fascinated with that fact and find it rewarding.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.artbyabon.com
- Instagram: @Abonfire @pabel.da2nd
- Twitter: @AbonFineArts
Image Credits
photo of paintings by Victor Otero stage photo from Alejandro Boniilla Jr’s IG @Abonfire.