Daniel de Jesús

Biography

Daniel de Jesús is a visionary artist, composer, and cellist whose multidisciplinary work bridges the worlds of music and visual art with striking emotional depth and cultural resonance. Daniel studied painting and cello performance at Philadelphia’s High School for Creative and Performing Arts and earned a BFA in Illustration from the University of the Arts in 2004. As a visual artist, Daniel’s works have been exhibited throughout Philadelphia, including at Galería es Arte in Old City and in community-based exhibitions with La Colectiva. His collection Mensajes de la Tierra and appearances at venues such as the Puerto Rican Federal Affairs Administration, the Philadelphia Open Studio Tours, and the ICE Box Gallery’s Dialogo 365 have earned acclaim for their vibrant fusion of Latin American heritage and baroque symbolism.

A classically trained cellist and soaring vocalist, Daniel is equally recognized for his musical artistry. He leads the art-rock project TivaTiva, blending cinematic strings and haunting vocals, and is a member of the legendary all-cello rock ensemble Rasputina, known for its gothic flair and historical narratives. Previously, Daniel served for over five years as Special Events Coordinator for Taller Puertorriqueño, a cornerstone nonprofit arts organization serving Philadelphia’s Latino community. Whether through a brushstroke or a bow, Daniel de Jesús creates evocative worlds where history, identity, and spirit converge.

🌐 www.celloeye.com

instagram: @dejesuscello

Click image to return to Exhibition Home:

Artist Statement

My current body of work investigates the intersections of mysticism, Catholic iconography, and queer identity through symbolic figures such as the unicorn and Saint Sebastian. I am drawn to the Unicorn as a figure both ancient and reimagined—once a symbol of masculinity and immortality in medieval culture, now reclaimed in queer narratives as an emblem of beauty, resistance, and transcendent authenticity. In my ongoing series The Kiss of the Unicorn, I explore this mythic creature as a metaphor for the queer self: magical, feared, and radiant in its defiance. In this personal mythology, I—once the repressed virgin—become the bride of the Unicorn, committing to a union with my most liberated, magical self.

This journey parallels my Saint Sebastian series, where I use the image of the pierced saint—long a symbol of martyrdom, beauty, and erotic suffering—to examine the queer body as both wounded and divine. I incorporate symbols such as the pink triangle, reclaimed by ACT UP, to reference a queer halo of resistance—a radiant power akin to the halos of Christ, the saints, or Apollo. These works emerge from a state of mystical inquiry, not bound to organized spirituality, but animated by the queer mind’s ability to imagine, transform, and transcend.

Queerness, in my view, is inherently mystical. To be queer is to undergo an awakening—to choose oneself in a world that often demands silence. This process of self-liberation, of choosing love, embodiment, and truth, mirrors the spiritual journeys of saints and sages. My art becomes a visual liturgy, where the sacred and the sensual converge, and where Latin American religious imagery becomes a vessel to explore queer transcendence, divine intimacy, and the alchemy of becoming.

Art Purchases

Artwork is available for purchase. It is a great way to support local LGBTQ+ artists and the William Way, as 65% of the proceeds goes directly to the artist and 35% supports the Center’s Art and Culture programs. Inquire about purchasing an artwork by emailing arts@waygay.org