Cuban Artist Visits TPML

Cuban artist Lorenzo Lopez Shening compares viewing his art to witnessing a torrential downpour forced through a single spigot.

So, his presentation 1 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 8 at Tye Preston Memorial Library promises to provide at least artistic drought relief for Canyon Lake residents. A reception follows, and prints of Lopez Shening’s artwork will be available for sale. Library patrons also can view his original works of art during regular library hours on Wednesday and Thursday.

He also leans towards the literary, describing his ability to create massive interactive artworks from junk as writing poems from the heart.

In his most famous piece, “Love Me, Love Me Not”, Lopez shows how he sees the world through materials as diverse as bullet casings, African porcupine quills, silverware, pennies, broken Coca-Cola bottles, and keys.

Despite never studying art as a child, Lopez combined a curiosity for up-cycling trash with a handiness for tinkering into a career as a world-traveling artist.

“I’ve always been very creative and good with my hands. Trying to build stuff,” Lopez said. “I think the first thing that I did was use telephone wire. You have that red and green and blue and yellow inside. I used to do different shapes and different techniques.”