Utopian Six of Hearts

These prints are an accumulation of outings into the artist's local landscape with the notion of dystopia/utopia in mind. Research in the form of photographs was collected during these outings and later composed into imagery meant to be reproduced through the relief printmaking medium. Christian Selcedo Ward's Utopian Six of Hearts and Dystopian Ten of Spade s was created in part of the 'Utopia/Dystopia' portfolio, curated by artist Miyo Stevens-Gandara. Miyo invited 26 artists to each pick two cards from a full deck, incorporating a diverse range of interpretations and ideas into a single, unified collection. Here, Ward draws upon his numerous outings into his local landscape as sources for these prints. Referencing photographs from these visual experiences in his urban environment, his imagery reflects and meditates on the utopian and dystopian characteristics of his local surroundings.