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Modesto Covarrubias is an artist, educator, and arts advocate whose work explores the contradictions inherent in traditional masculine ideals, such as emotional repression, hyper-competitiveness, and emotional stoicism. His work redefines strength not as an absence of vulnerability but as its very embrace. Through a dynamic practice that spans drawing, installation, printmaking, textiles, and performance, Covarrubias examines the often-toxic representations of masculinity in pop culture, inviting viewers to reconsider their own relationship with power, vulnerability, and personal transformation. Whether through the tactile intimacy of textiles or the immersive scale of installations, his work encourages audiences to confront their own relationship with power structures, identity, and the narratives we inherit.
While primarily focused on his solo practice, Covarrubias also engages in collaborative projects with other artists on projects that expand upon his artistic interests. RoCoCo, a studio practice he shares with fellow CCA Associate Professor KC Rosenberg, explores the intersection of materials, space, and emotional complexity. Their work often takes the form of sculptural installations and has been featured in exhibitions at venues such as the Montalvo Arts Center in Saratoga, California, the Louie-Meager Art Gallery at Ohlone College in Fremont, California, the Saddleback College Art Gallery in Mission Viejo, California, and the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. Through RoCoCo, the duo investigates themes of social justice, contemporary culture, and the response to both architectural and natural spaces.
Covarrubias was also a member of Pacific/A Future, an artist collective founded by CCA Professor Kim Anno and CCA alumna and Adjunct Professor Alicia Escott. Through its association with the Sanchez Arts Center, this collaboration focused on engaging the community of Pacifica, California, around the impact of climate change. In his role, Covarrubias led workshops teaching participants how to create yarn from repurposed plastic, specifically shopping bags, and how to knit, fostering both environmental awareness and community resilience.
Covarrubias' work has been exhibited locally, nationally, and internationally, featured in venues such as the Oakland International Airport, the San Francisco Arts Commission Gallery, The Center for Contemporary Arts in Santa Fe, the Children’s Museum of the Arts in New York, and the Galleria Civica di Modena in Italy among numerous other venues.
Beyond his artistic practice, Covarrubias has been deeply involved in curatorial and community-driven projects. He and artist Monica Lundy formed the curatorial team behind Studio 5,4 Projects, an artist salon and exhibition group that curated visual arts programs for San Francisco's Red Poppy Art House and organized Flying Under the Radar/Voando Sob o Radar, a 2017 international festival that paired artists from Rio de Janeiro and the Bay Area.
In addition to his artistic practice, Covarrubias is a dedicated educator and community leader. He teaches at California College of the Arts (CCA) in San Francisco, where he fosters critical thinking and creative expression among the next generation of artists. His commitment to the arts extends to his advocacy work as a commissioner for the City of Berkeley's Civic Arts Commission, where he advocates for the transformative power of the arts within public life.
As an artist, educator, and arts advocate Modesto Covarrubias continues to shape conversations around art, culture, and the environment, while fostering collaboration and community engagement in all facets of his work.
A Bay Area native, Covarrubias lives in Berkeley and maintains a studio in Oakland, California.