Rafael Jesús González

Rafael Jesús González

CREATED BY ADAM LOFTEN & GARY YOST 08:34 mins 2019

“We are all artists, either consciously or unconsciously.”  Born in a bicultural/bilingual home, Rafael's poems are shared in both English and Spanish. A Professor Emeritus of Creative Writing & Literature, César E. Chávez Lifetime Award recipient and City of Berkeley's first Poet Laureate, Rafael explores the responsibility we each have as we create the world around us.

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Discussion Guide:

  1. Describe a time when you consciously chose to create an art project?  What was the project? What impact did it have on your life?

  2. Have you ever felt that we are all “dressing up for a performance” when we put on our clothes and go out into the world?  What was the context for that realization?

  3. What might distinguish “conscious art” vs “unconscious art”?

  4. Is there value to conscious art?  If so, what is it?

  5. Write down your definition of conscious art, and your definition of unconscious art.  What are the key similarities and differences?

  6. Describe an experience in your life when you felt in the presence of conscious art.  Describe when you felt you were in the presence of unconscious art.

  7. What might be the dangers of creating unconscious art?  

  8. Go on an “art walk.”  Make a list of human-created things that you could categorize as unconscious art vs conscious art.

  9. Do you agree with Rafael that all conscious art is good art and all unconscious art is bad art?  What other qualities do you feel that good art and bad art have? What do you think Rafael means by this?

  10. Find the most beautiful place you can and sit in silence for 3 minutes.  What do you notice? How might consciousness have a presence? Use your own words to describe presence.

  11. Find the ugliest place you can and sit in silence for 3 minutes.  What do you notice? How might unconsciousness have a presence? Use your own words to describe presence.

Links to discover more:

Rafael’s blog

Article: “Poet Rafael González redefines quality of life.”

Oakland Museum of California: Rafael Jesús González collection

Gary Yost