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Oliverio V. Rodriguez

Lecturer

Contact

Bio

Oli Rodriguez (they/he) is an interdisciplinary lens-based artist, writer, and poet. Their intersectional research and interdisciplinary projects conceptually focus on queerness, gender, appropriation, performative interactions, visualizing familial and other representations of the AIDS pandemic, while referencing historical movements in gender, racial, and feminist histories. His publication, Papi, archives the AIDS pandemic through his queer, POC family in Chicago during the 1980s. ​​​​​​​He also just finished his short documentary film, LYNDALE (2018), currently distributed by Video Data Bank (VDB). Also, his feature documentary, Papi's Pregnant (2025), chronicles his queer pregnancy. ​​​​​​​Rodriguez has screened, lectured and exhibited his works internationally and nationally.

Awards: 1619 Education Project Grant, The Pulitzer Centre (2021); Editors Prize for Visual Poetry, The Poetry Foundation (2021); Diverse Voices in Docs (DVID) Fellowship, Kartemquin Films (2020); Best Short Experimental Documentary, Iowa City Documentary Film Festival (2019); Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) Grant (2018); The School of the Art Institute of Chicago Faculty Grant (2014–2018); Diversifying Faculty Initiative Grant (DFI) Recipient (2003–2006); McNair Fellow National Grant (2002–2005). Publications: Papi, Oli Rodriguez, Artist Book, Candor Arts Press; Transgender Studies Quartely 8 no.1, Chasing Papi: A Study in Virulence and Virtuality, Robb Hernandez, Transgender Studies Quarterly (TSQ), Duke University Press; Papi, Papi, Papi, Oli Rodriguez, Poetry Magazine, Poetry Foundation, Papi, Papi, Papi, Podcast: Oli Rodriguez in conversation with Xandria Phillips; Art AIDS America / Art AIDS America Chicago, Jonathan David Katz, Rock Hushka and Staci Boris, feat. The Papi Project, Alphawood Foundation, University of Washington Press; Trans Studies en las Américas, Oliverio Rodriguez's The Last Seduction/La Seducción Fatal (2015–): Activating the Obvious as Queer Technique. Exhibitions: Papi, Papi, Papi, Iceberg Projects, Chicago, IL (2021); A familiar panting., FLXST Contemporary, Chicago, IL (2019); The Last Seduction/La Seducción Fatal, Bert Green Fine Art Gallery, Chicago, IL (2019); The Last Seduction/La Seducción Fatal, Bert Green Fine Art Gallery, Chicago, IL (2016); Art, AIDS in America, Alphawood Foundation, Chicago, IL (2017); And one day this kid will get larger., DePaul Art Museum, Chicago, IL (2017); HE: Questioning and Queering Masculinity, Last Projects, Los Angeles, CA (2017); Precariat, Hyde Park Art Center, Chicago, IL (2017).

Courses

Title Department Catalog Term

Description

This course presents video as an art form through the lens of narrative structures. Emphasis is placed on using video to tell a story, looking to contemporary artists who use the medium in unique and innovative ways. Beginning with storyboards, students focus on communicating ideas to the audience through character development, sequential imagery, and other cinematic devices. Students are introduced to a variety of materials and resources, such as hand-held cameras, audio and lighting equipment, and video editing software (Adobe Premiere, After Effects), while learning the vocabulary and technical skills required to use them. Students examine the formal and conceptual qualities of video and different forms of movie making as a means of artistic expression to create original narrative work. Developing technical skills and using their own distinctive innovations, students shoot, edit, perform in, and produce collaborative and/or individual short videos. This course is an ambitious program of ideas and encourages students to generate their own original content and direction. Trips to the Art Institute of Chicago and access to SAIC's Video Data Bank supplement studio coursework.
*NOTE* Previous video or filmmaking experience is beneficial. SAIC will provide basic equipment, but students are encouraged to bring their own digital camera, tablet, and/or laptop for homework and after-studio hours projects.

Class Number

1067

Credits

2

Description

This seminar explores the history and culture of transgender and gender non-conforming communities and identities, with a particular focus on moving image work encompassing cinema, television, and new media. Themes and approaches include transfeminist, postgenderist, and queer/trans theories which challenge essentialized notions of gender and sexuality.

The course consists of weekly discussions based on screenings of moving image work, as well as critical and theoretical texts that investigate identity, embodiment, technology, and representation as they relate to trans issues. Some of the scholars and artists we will study include Susan Stryker, David Valentine, Zachary I. Nataf, C. Riley Snorton, Paul B. Preciado, Helen Hok-Sze Leung, Sam Feder, Lilly Wachowski, Chase Joynt, Tourmaline, Wu Tsang, Silas Howard, Angelo Madsen Minax, Jules Rosskam, Annalise Ophelian, Zackary Drucker.

Course work will include in-class discussions, reading assignments, reading/screening response essays, a midterm critical response essay, and a final research paper.

Class Number

1038

Credits

3