Pura Sangre was born Alexis Ojeda González in Oaxaca Mexico to the world-renowned husband/wife folk art duo; Teresa Gonzalez Marin & Claudio Ojeda Morales. Growing up in a family and culture rich with art and creativity certainly influenced Pura Sangre’s work, but most influential has been his own inner turmoil. He offers some insight to that influence in his Artist Statement.

Artist Statement:

I was born, raised, and still live in San Antonio Arrazola Xoxocotlán in the Southern Mexican state of Oaxaca – known as the cradle of the alebrijes. From a very young age I was influenced by my parents craft and I enjoyed drawing different abstract and strange things. I really enjoyed details, so very early on I started to perfect the details in my drawings. My childhood was raw and riddled with problems that led to strange dreams, nightmares really, at times they led to realities that I could not understand or escape. At first, as every child does, I feared those dreams. But one day my mother told me: Son, stop running from what torments you and use it to your advantage. From then on I understood that I could handle these torments because they had something good too.

But with the passage of time, it became impossible to create work. I was stuck but something inside told me to keep after it. Still, I decided to go to University to study law – but soon I realized that did not suit me – it wasn’t really what I wanted. I finally decided to leave law. It was a difficult time because my family and my parents did not support the decision, meaning I had to start from scratch on my own to make my own future.

One night I had a really strange dream – I got up and began to draw what I saw in the dream. When I tried to go back to sleep, the lines, the strange details and shapes, all that I did not understand, engulfed me, and since that moment, I’ve never looked at drawing the same as others. From that point on, the visions determine the appearance of my artwork my style was determined – where the lines, details and the strangest shapes manage together. Now I always accompany my artworks with a poetic yet abstract story; on the one hand I want the viewer to understand what I feel, yet on the other I want them to believe what they see. I still have those strange dreams about those shapes and nightmares that I still do not understand, but thankfully now my imagination and my works grow alongside me.

The name Pura Sangre was given to me by my friends because they believe, and I agree, that the song “Pura Sangre” by Jarabe de Palo is a reflection of my life. My greatest motivation is my mother.

Download Pura Sangre’s Artist Statement Here

Artworks by Pura Sangre are included in the following CAMIBAart exhibits:

Contrasts - May 2020

Studio Scene 3 - August 2019