Aaron Gonzalez: HEART LAND

EVENT DESCRIPTION

Aaron Gonzalez’s works often express themes of identity exploration, nature, and emotional narratives. Through his work in painting, illustration, and design, Aaron has gradually developed a series of symbolic characters, including clouds, plants, and anthropomorphized beings.

The character Ozzi, recently created by Aaron, is a California gray bear. Ozzi serves not only as Aaron’s personal avatar but also as the protagonist of his stories. The name Ozzi is derived from the Spanish word “osito,” meaning little bear. As an artist born in California, the gray bear symbolizes both local identity and reflects his personal strengths, vulnerabilities, and curiosity. In various narrative scenes of his works, Ozzi faces progress and setbacks, humorously reflecting the different scenarios encountered in daily life with a healing touch.

In the HEART LAND exhibition, Aaron invites everyone to explore the yet-to-be-fully-defined character of Ozzi, hoping that visitors to HEART LAND can reflect together and find resonance in the artworks regarding life.

ABOUT THE ARTIST / ORGANISER

Aaron Gonzalez is a multidisciplinary artist based in Los Angeles. His work explores themes of identity, nature, and emotional narrative through a character-driven visual language. He began his career as an apprentice under artist Steven Harrington from 2023 to 2025, during which this mentor influenced his approach to integrating character, design, and cultural sensitivity. His work has been featured in The Flag Project at Rockefeller Center and has won the World Illustration Award. He is also widely recognized for his illustration design for Otis College of Art and Design's global initiative, We Are Los Angeles. In his current work, the central character is Ozzi, a California small gray bear. Ozzi gradually took shape in Aaron's paintings over the years, initially appearing as a secondary character but eventually becoming the main protagonist in his visual universe.