“A documentary about identity politics in the contemporary art world, it follows the young artist as he tries to transcend the identity box he has painted himself into… It offers a rare view of how multiculturalism is bought and sold among the art world’s elite.” – City Projects 

Born in the Philippines, Ocampo came to Los Angeles in the early 80’s where he worked at a Foto-Mat booth and as a cook at McDonald’s before selling his first painting. His paintings, for which he became well-known, conjured the pathology of the colonized psyche. These works became largely popular with wealthy white collectors, art critics and dealers. The film thus chronicles his rise to popularity, his mistrust of the art world that embraced him, and his efforts to recast himself as a post-identitarian artist.

Reel Thursday is a series of films organised in conjunction with the exhibition, “Manuel Ocampo: Ideological Mash-Up/Remix”. Free admission. RSVP: Facebook | Email

© Track 16. All Rights Reserved.