Chicago Latinartists / Wanderer magazine by eleturia

WANDERER FALL 2023

A PUBLICATION CREATED BY PEOPLE, POWER & NARRATIVE: LATINO VOICES, AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION STUDENTS

CHICAGO

LATINARTISTS

WRITERS | PHOTOGRAPHERS NATALIA ACOSTA ISABELLA ANGELONI IVY-JOLIE CAMACHO GUANA COLINET JUSTIN CONTRERAS SANDRA DE LA TORRE BEATRIZ DEL MURO ISABELLA FLOWERS LAUREN GALÁRRAGA DYLAN GREENE NORA GUERRERO GABRIELA LARGACHA-GÓMEZ SAMANTHA MELGAR ANGÉLICA OLIVARES ALINA PAWL-CASTAÑÓN MASON PERKINS ZAY RAMÍREZ DANY RANGEL JJ SALGADO DESIGN EDITORS MEGAN ANDJULIS KAIDYN CARTER KAITLYN HORNECK GRACE HUGGLER RUTH JOHNSON CELIA KNOX RYAN MARX GIBELLE MONTESDEOCA CHRISSY PEARSON JUDE RAMÍREZ TIANNA RAYAPPAN ALIYA SEGURA JORDEN SMITH SAVANNA STEELE HAILEY WILKINS COVER JJ SALGADO EDITING | PROOFREADING NANCY TRAVER

presentation COLUMBIA COLLEGE CHICAGO not only educates students the fields of the arts

and media, it also provides opportunities to apply what they have learned in the production of professional quality work—Wanderer is a perfect example. This issue introduces us to a wide range of Latin Artists in Chicago who reflect the diversity of the city’s vibrant Latino/a cultural expression. In addition to exploring how heritage influences art, these student interviews reveal how the Latin artists’ focus has expanded to include an ongoing dialog within their community to further inform their creativity and work—an indication of the health of the Hispanic-Latino population, now the largest minority group in Chicago. In addition, if you are a regular reader of Wanderer, you will be interested to learn these interviewers continue to explore the usage, or rejection, of the term Latinx—the subject of the last issue. It was a distinct pleasure to see an interview published in Spanish. This reflects the values and interests of our media students in the Communication Department and beyond at Columbia College Chicago. Earlier this fall, our student newspaper, The Columbia Chronicle, also started publishing select stories in Spanish, and our Reporting in Spanish students had over a dozen stories published in professional media outlets. These initiatives are evidence of the sincere commitment to diversity at an institution of higher education whose Latin student body surpasses 28%.

FACULTY ADVISER ELIO LETURIA

Once again, I want to acknowledge all the student interviewers in Associate Professor Elio Leturia’s Latino Voices and Visual Communication courses and thank them, and their narrators, for their stories and creativity, which include a diverse range of artists’ voices from various ethnic backgrounds, genders, nationalities, ages, and expertise levels.

DEPARTMENT CHAIR PEG MURPHY

Enjoy!

PRODUCTION SUPPORT STEVE KRASON

colum.edu/academics/media-arts/ communication This publication has been possible with the support of the Communication Department of Columbia College Chicago, 33 Ida B. Wells Drive, Chicago, Ill. 60605 Phone 312.369.8900 Wanderer is a student-produced magazine. It does not necessarily represent, in whole or in part, the views of college administrators, faculty, the Communication and Columbia Experience Programs, or the student body as a whole.

2 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

—ERIN MCCARTHY, P H .D. ,

Interim Chair, Communication Department Associate Professor, Humanities, History and Social Sciences

Communication

inside 4 FROM THE SWEATSHOP TO THE ATELIER As a person of color and a Queer artist, Mexican designer pays homage to her ethnic roots Natalia Acosta 6 EPIC DERMIS The mission: to create a story for a lifetime in their skin Ivy-Jolie Camacho 8 WHEN MUSIC AND MATHEMATICS COLLIDE Hipster Columbia professor creates challenging music Dylan Greene

FALL 2023

26 QUEER, LATINX AND FAT Columbia graduate transforms challenges into visual storytelling Angélica Olivares 28 LET YOUR INSPIRATION INSPIRE OTHERS, ONE MURAL AT A TIME For painter Pierre Lucero, open public spaces are the city canvas Sandra de la Torre 30 RAWNESS, AUTHENTICITY AND ROCK’N’ROLL From Santana to The Doors to The Strokes, Alberto Abreu shares his chords Zay Ramírez

10 ANDEAN RHYTHM AND COLORS IN THE WINDY CITY Art instructor brings Peruvian music and dance to Chicago Mason Perkins

32 PERSONAL STRUGGLES GET FULL EXPOSURE Mexican-American photographer channels her creativity through constructed images Beatriz del Muro

12 CREATIVITY AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Social media catapults Anissa Campos to the red carpet Nora Guerrero

34 SKIN DEEP: TATTOOING AS AN ENERGY EXCHANGE From Colombia to the Bronx to Columbia, Ángel Morillas establishes his studio in Pilsen Dany Rangel

14 STAGE AND SPACE CROSSOVER Ecuadorian actress transfers her performance skills and embarks in a long-desired goal Lauren Galárraga 16 THE GODLY ARTIST Venezuelan creator finds her inspiration in God JJ Salgado 18 ARTWORK THAT FILLS THE NEGLECTED SPACE Illustrator Javier Suárez goes beyond Frida Kahlo for Latino representation Sam Melgar 20 THE FIGHT AGAINST YOUR OWN CULTURE Inspired by alternative Latin American scenes, Queer illustrator defies traditional Latinx values Gabriela Largacha-Gómez 22 REFLECTIONS OF IDENTITY AND PAIN Multifaceted artist Marcos Raya, a living legend in the Chicago cultural scene Alina Pawl-Castañón

This edition of Wanderer magazine is a collaborative project produced by Visual Communication and People, Power & Narrative: Latino Voices students. The courses are offered in the Communication program, and the Columbia Experience program respectively, at Columbia College Chicago.

36 FROM PENCILS, OIL PAINT AND DIGITAL ART TO ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY For Abel Arciniega, all his art is Latino driven Justin Contreras 38 ANONYMOUS LETTERS COME TO LIFE ON STAGE Domestic violence, immigration and mental health issues become music and dance Isabella Flowers 40 PRÊT-À-PORTER ART From canvas, digital and wearable art on clothing, Anahí Rodríguez showcases her Mexican and Cuban roots Guana Colinet 42 FROM BIG DREAMS TO MOVIE SCENES Inspired by YouTube videos, Carlos Lerma keeps developing his writing and directing skills Isabella Angeloni

WANDERER FALL 2023

A PUBLICATION CREATED BY PEOPLE, POWER & NARRATIVE: LATINO VOICES, AND VISUAL COMMUNICATION STUDENTS

CHICAGO

Visual Communication students edited, designed and laid out each story as their final course project, and People, Power & Narrative: Latino Voices students reported and wrote the stories providing photography for them. This issue is all about the diversity of Chicago-based Latino/ Latina/Latinx artists .

LATINARTISTS

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 3

NORMA ESPINOZA | THE FASHION DESIGNER

BY NATALIA ACOSTA ajoring in Fashion at Columbia College Chicago, Norma Espinoza, 21, is a full-time student and a freelance fashion designer. Born in Chicago, she moved with her family to Utah and then returned to Chicago; she currently lives in the Midway area. Both of her parents are Mexican— from the regions of Michoacán and San Luis Potosí—and she defines herself as Mexican and indigenous. What do you aim to showcase with your art? I focus on haute couture, handcrafted fashion regarded as a high-end art. It’s mostly known as a French ‘thing’ but any culture can have it. I focus on Mexican artistry like hand embroidery and beading because it’s not as valued as French or Italian art. I like to bring my influence and to show that this is just as valuable, as beautifully handcrafted as a French couture piece. What motivated you to become an artist? I’ve always had a natural eye for art and fashion. Given the privilege I have here in America, I wanted to pursue an education in fine arts and show the world that Latinos are here and that we’re capable. When did you realize you wanted to become an artist? I’ve been sewing since the age of eight. My grandma was a seamstress, she also did a lot of embroidery on things like pillowcases, so I learned a lot from her at a young age. I also remember cutting up my mom’s curtains and making dresses for my dolls. Then one day I thought, ‘Alright, time to make a dress for myself.’ I made my first dress in middle school and I’ve been creating ever since. 4 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

AS A PERSON OF COLOR AND A QUEER ARTIST, MEXICAN DESIGNER PAYS HOMAGE TO HER ETHNIC ROOTS

FROM THE

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY ELLA BONNIE

SWEATSHOP TO THE ATELIER What medium do you work in? Fashion and clothing, but I don’t make only clothing. I do textile art as well. I often weave or embroider on a lot of pieces. How would you describe yourself and your culture? I love Mexican culture. I’m really big on identity and that’s why I always make sure to say I’m a Mexican designer. I have to put that label on myself because otherwise I’m just a designer, right? It is important to showcase your culture and to have it be respected as any other culture would be. Especially as a person of color and a queer artist, our work is still very much devalued. How does your identity as a Latina artist inspire your art? How has your family influenced what you do? I always label it as the ‘Mexi-

can’ experience. A lot of my work integrates my experience growing up. I’ve worked with fabrics that are made out of palm leaves to make the type of mat called “petate.” I’ve used my grandma’s embroidery style to embroider some of my own pieces. I source materials from artisans in Mexico and indigenous women. What is it like being a Latina artist in your community? How has it shaped you? I’ve had both good and bad experiences. As a Latina artist, I feel very passionate about what I do. I’ve been acknowledged for my work because of my passion but,

unfortunately, I do feel like I’ve had more bad experiences than good ones. I’ve been the victim of hate crimes, my pieces have been destroyed, I’ve had people call me racial slurs and say, ‘You’re stealing and copying indigenous culture.’ A lot of people don’t realize that there’s indigenous tribes in Mexico too, not just in America. There’s still a lot of stigma, even in an environment like Columbia College that claims to be anti-racist and accepting. Even labeling myself as a queer artist, it’s like, ‘Oh you’re a person of color and a queer artist, you’re going down.’

What do you think is missing from the art world and what does your art provide? How does it fill that space? Western fashion is just so prevalent in Western media. I get it, we’re in America. Oftentimes Mexican craft, Latino craft, African American craft, anything that’s not ‘western’ is labeled as exotic and is seen as ancient outdated craft. There’s no modernization. What I am doing is showing that we’re still here and we’re still doing it. More and more artists are incorporating and expressing their cultures through their art. You see more cultural hubs happening here in Chicago. There are more galleries, exhibitions and events with art by people of color. My work is very much a part of this modernization of Mexican artistry. I want to focus on filling that void and showing that there’s more than just Western fashion and that traditional garbs can be modernized and worn on a daily basis.

My whole family was in the fashion industry, but they worked in sweatshops. I don’t want to contribute to that. appropriated. But I think the most challenging thing has been how to sell this—haute couture is a dying art. My professors always say, ‘How are you going to sell this? No one’s really buying this stuff.’ But when it comes to couture, it isn’t meant to be bought by the masses. It’s meant to be displayed and admired. My work is often not regarded as a high art; it’s seen as primitive or savage. Taking away those labels would definitely help open people’s eyes to understand that these are things still worn by people today. It’s time to bring it over here. What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American background? I like the term—I really do. But along with that, it’s kind of impossible to say in Spanish. It’s an American thing really. I normally use it when I’m talking to people my age or younger generations. If I’m talking to people who are from older generation, I use Latino or Latina.

Who is your target audience and how do you want your art to be received? I always follow the quote that, ‘Art is a mirror that people reflect themselves on.’ My audience is also people who grew up in this environment. Latino people see themselves represented in my work. But again, couture is an iffy subject, so even then it’s probably like the 1 percent that can actually afford these pieces. How do you build your platform as an artist? Do you use social media? I do use social media. I used to have an Etsy store but recently I quit that. Most of the time you can contact me through my Instagram. I’m horrible at posting but I’m getting back in there. Often times I build my This type of platform through connecmat is called tions. Friends of friends “petate.” It’s a and working with other kind of ‘fabric’ designers around the made out of city is normally how palm leaves. freelance designers start off. I also find connections through my fellow classmates— the people who are going to be professionals and practicing artists one day. I am also a teaching assistant so a lot of people come to me for help. I am coming up with a website soon. —Design by Kaitlyn Horneck

Espinoza focuses on haute couture, handcrafted fashion regarded as high-end art.

Photos courtesy NORMA ESPINOZA

How do you showcase your art to your audience? It’s always been a little tricky, but I’ve done a lot of galleries. I’ve supported other local Latino artists by collaborating with them. I’m in the Latino Alliance Club and we do a lot of galleries and events. I’m also in a charity group called Uncommon Closet, and we focus a lot on catering to queer youth experiencing homelessness and helping to provide services for people in the process of transitioning. I’ve also sold some pieces. I’ve been commissioned to do some artwork in my community. I could probably be doing a lot more, but I’m a student so it’s hard to balance.

What are the challenges you have come across most often? As I mentioned before, my work has been labeled as old, stolen, or culturally Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 5

STORY AND PHOTO BY IVY-JOLIE CAMACHO

ubén Aguayo, 54, is a self-taught tattoo artist. He was born in Mexico, moved to the U.S. when he was 5 and now lives in the Avondale area. Aguayo specializes in black and gray tattoo realism; however, he is also an artist on paper and is experienced in several different media. “In the past, I have painted with oils, pastels, watercolors, charcoal, pencil, and pen, but my strongest medium was the airbrush.”

éstor Álvarez, 32, is also a tattoo artist. He was born in Mexico City, came to the U.S. when he was 9 and now lives in Forest Park. Álvarez started tattooing at 18 and also specializes in black and gray realism, as well as educating the client. “I like to tell everybody the step-by-step of how it works. The more you inform them, the better it is.” What kind of art do you create? What do you aim to showcase in your art? AGUAYO— I do have a very

extensive art background, going back many years. It’s always been photorealism, starting with painting and then transitioning into doing tattoos, which is very difficult. But in my mind, the only thing that changed was the canvas and the tools. ÁLVAREZ— Mostly, I like to

focus on black and gray realism, detail work, and trying to duplicate the imagery as best as I can so people can enjoy what they have, and they also enjoy showing it to people. What inspired you to pursue art? AGUAYO— One of my friends

in grammar school— a good friend of mine who was already an advanced artist— was the one who inspired me. I followed in his footsteps and I realized that I had the talent and the skill. Now, my friend isn’t doing anything like this, but I went over him and I took matters into my own hands. Now I feel like I don’t work a day in my life. ÁLVAREZ— My sister was draw-

ing first, I would see her, take out a pencil, and trace her drawing. When I came to Chicago, I didn’t know the language, I didn’t know anybody,

so I took a lot of time just drawing, and drawing and drawing. Tattooing randomly happened to me. One of my friends brought it up because I was drawing in high school, and that was the first time I thought about it. The more I got involved in knowing what tattoos were, the more excited I got because I could actually see it as a career, doing what I’ve always loved. What other media do you work in? AGUAYO— I’m also a profes-

sional photographer. In the past, I have painted with oils, pastels, watercolors, charcoal, pencil, and pen—but my strongest medium was the airbrush. At this point, I guess tattooing is also my strongest because I’ve worked on it so much, but airbrush was my strongest, 30 years in the making— more like 35. ÁLVAREZ— I was mostly doing

charcoal and graphite on paper, I focused on that through my 20s, learning about different pencils and paper. But now that my tattoo career upgraded, it’s a little busier with more clientele and people are willing to drive a couple of hours to get tattooed, so I started focusing more on tattoos. How has your identity as Latino artists influenced your passion? AGUAYO— With what I have

6 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

NÉSTOR

EPIC DERMIS THE MISSION: TO CREATE A LIFETIME STORY IN THEIR SKIN

built as an artist in general, not just a Latino artist, I’ve made a very strong stand in what I do and how I do it. I get feedback from not only my clientele, but from friends and family. They see us as artists in many different ways, so that feeds you to keep doing what you’re doing and become better at it. There’s no

stopping. You think you reached the point of ‘You mastered it!’ but there’s no such thing, you keep going. ÁLVAREZ— Influence-wise,

based on my culture and my heritage, my family’s very close. We don’t do it as much anymore, but we would do ofrendas, and I was always doing something artistic with that. Also, trying to follow other

ÁLVAREZ & RUBÉN AGUAYO

artists. I like to see that and look at people’s art everywhere. Even going to a bar where you see people doing crazy artistic drinks. It’s great because no matter where you go, you can still find a source of inspiration and apply it to your own background and your own profession.

that [tattooing] is being viewed more as artistic, as a valuable artform. That’s what my art service provides. We try to give them the best quality of work, and also help to take what they’re thinking of and actually put it down on paper and then on their skin. I feel like it’s an accomplishment.

How do you make your art accessible to an audience?

What are some challenges you face as a tattoo artist?

AGUAYO—Before, it was just

AGUAYO— The challenge is the

word of mouth, which was a slow process because there were no cell phones to record videos and put them up on the internet. Nowadays, social media has been one of our strongest tools to promote ourselves as | THE TATTOO AR TISTS artists. You can get that recognition not just locally, but on a worldwide level. ÁLVAREZ— Social media is

Hispanic/Latino artists, what they’re doing, and how far they’ve gone. Then, using that as fuel to continue doing what I want to do, and follow in their footsteps, and just keep evolving. What is your biggest motivation? AGUAYO— It’s the fact that I

can provide for my family, but without the struggle of a typical 9-to-5 job, and of course, financially it’s excellent. I said I have not worked a day in my life because of what I do; it’s because every day is an adventure when I come here. It’s a different piece, a different artwork that I’m producing. When my client walks out of here with a permanent piece of artwork that changes their life, for me, that’s a great satisfaction. ÁLVAREZ— I would say family,

the better I do, the more I can help—to be inspiring, and also financially. Also, just to see how

Tattoo artists Álvarez and Aguayo at the Chicago Ink Tattoo and Piercing Shop in Chicago.

far I can take it, push the envelope. I think every artist would love to say that they want to achieve perfection. We never can, but we love to try. What is it like being artists in Chicago, specifically Latino ones? AGUAYO— There are a lot of art-

ists and a lot of talent, and you always want to climb up and be recognized as one of the top artists in the city. At this point, I feel I’ve reached that. I pushed myself to get there. It’s up to you to force yourself, keep your eye on the prize. It feels really good when you go to a tattoo convention, or anywhere in public, and someone recognizes you as a great artist. But yet, you still have to stay humble, keep one foot on the ground.

a very strong tool for artists. We can easily put our art out there, and then as people like it or share it, it reaches a lot more people— as opposed to an advertisement, or again, word of mouth. Sometimes we do shows as well to get our work out there and meet new people. What does your art provide? AGUAYO— We are here to help

people create a story for a lifetime in their skin. People have done their research; They know what they want and how they want it to look. We have the skill, we have the knowledge, and we’re the artists to produce what they’re looking for. They’re not just getting a piece of art randomly. everybody has a story at one point or another that they want to be recorded, whether it’s in the past, current, or maybe a little bit of the future. ÁLVAREZ— A lot of clients look

for something in their life to represent themselves, who they are, and what they think, now

client’s skin. Everyone is different. It’s a different adventure every time. Besides that, the stress that you put on yourself daily when you’re performing a tattoo— your back, your eyesight, your nerves, your muscles, but also your mind. It’s not just fun and games. It’s a big responsibility, and it’s a one-shot deal, there are no shortcuts. But that’s what we chose to do, and we do it with great responsibility, passion and a lot of love. ÁLVAREZ— Medium-wise, you

always have to be alert, the skin is never the same. Also, you’re not sitting on your own with a piece of paper that doesn’t move, you have to put that in perspective. Sometimes when tattooing you think you’re just drawing without realizing that you are working with a person, so you also have to make sure they’re okay, that they’re comfortable. What is the reputation you aim to uphold as an artist? AGUAYO— Responsible, humble,

and unique— to stand out among the other talent in the city. And to be respected in what I do. ÁLVAREZ— Professional, always

making sure my work is at the best level and the client likes what I do. Also straightforward, always making sure they know what’s going on.

—Design by Kaidyn Carter

ÁLVAREZ— I agree that Chicago

is very populated with Latino

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 7

WHEN

MUSIC AND

MATHEMATICS

COLLIDE B

BY DYLAN GREENE

Hipster Columbia professor creates challenging music

LUIS NASSER | THE MUSIC PHYSICIST Professor Luis Nasser, a mathematician and musician who works to fuse his passions into creating unique and complex art. PHOTO BY DYLAN GREENE

8 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

orn in Mexico City to a Palestinian father and Mexican mother, Luis Nasser, 53, is a physicist, composer and bassist living in Lincoln Park. In 1994, he moved to the United States with his wife, who was attending the University of Maryland. Nasser has played acoustic and electric bass for bands focusing on progressive rock, metal, classical and jazz, and he has worked with Might Could, Sonus Umbra, Radio Silence, Kurgan’s Bane, Silver Pipe and Luz De Riada. His music often incorporates themes of nature and mathematics and is inspired by the sounds of ’70s prog bands like Jethro Tull and King Crimson. Nasser works intricate mathematical concepts into his songwriting. What inspired you to become an artist? When I was a kid growing up, I was always broke. I couldn’t even

buy albums. I could just buy 90-minute Memorex tapes that some guy would sell outside the subway station. I didn’t know what the albums looked like. I didn’t know who the people were. It was just some guy who wrote a name and a tape and sold it for what I could afford. I started saving my money and buying albums and started to realize that when I played a record, I wasn’t just hearing the record. I was imagining arrangements. I was also mathematically oriented; for me, math was the way out of a very violent environment. I asked an old man for a calculus book, and I spent the entire summer teaching myself calculus. It taught me there was a secret language of nature, that things were predictable, and if you could speak that language, you could understand the world. I’m not going to pretend that I mastered that book. But I learned enough to start making money by helping people at calculus. And that set me up in this path to be a teacher. People have a phobia for math, which I never understood. Math is a beautiful language.

Tull, The Who, and just stir. Those are kind of the building blocks, but then of course, it’s my idiosyncrasies, my life is in it. What’s your main inspiration or motivation? One of my older cousins came from a record store and he had the album, The Wall. That became my life. I didn’t understand the part of the rock star and all that, but I related to the child because I went through a British school in Mexico and those high school teachers— some of them were great, but some of them were real scum. There was a very racist and violent mentality, on top of my dad dying. What I found was that when I heard the music, it made me feel less lonely. If I somehow put it out, maybe that would help somebody else.

When did you realize you wanted to become an artist? I was 11 going on 12, and there was a guy in my school who was going to spend a summer in northern Ontario. I ended up going with him. I met a woman who played a cassette, and it was a tape of The Who, the album Who Are You. I felt like I was struck by lightning when I heard that.

How do you describe your culture? I’m a hipster. I really don’t think it matters. I’m talking to you, you’re a student. You’re somebody I respect. I see you as a human being. I don’t think about where you’re from. But when I perform, or when I hang out with people, if I identify as Mexican Arab, it seems to annoy the kind of people that I don’t like. That’s why I do it, just to trigger them, not because I think of myself like that or because I think it matters. I just like to have fun with the absurdity of it. On a personal level, I identify as Luis Nasser. I am of the opinion that your work speaks for you. I do attach a significance to cultural heritage. I love that. But I don’t feel like I’m necessarily a very good representation of Mexican culture.

What genres or styles do you mainly work in? I primarily play and compose progressive rock/metal. I am a metal and prog bass player. It’s the sounds that are in my head. It’s kind of like the voice of my subconscious. If you wanted to describe it, you take a pot and you throw in King Crimson, Pink Floyd, Black Sabbath, Jethro

How has your identity as a Latino influenced your passions? I don’t advertise myself as Latino. There are two kinds of Latinos in Chicago. You have the Latinos who were born and raised in their home countries, and then there are the children of those people. Not even their parents view them

My biggest challenge is just understanding American culture and then not holding it against people who have been brutalized by it. as their ethnic origin. But the other people here view them as American. What I find is that they have a giant chip on their shoulders. There is a belligerent relationship between themselves and society, and that is represented in their art. They’re trying to justify their existence, which is, I think, a very sad thing for somebody to feel they have to do.

Courtesy LUIS NASSER

An album cover from Sonus Umbra, one of Nasser’s many complex musical projects.

How do you make your art accessible to an audience? Touring. I’ve always had this philosophy when we play festivals: Let’s have a beer together. Let’s talk. I also put my music up on Bandcamp because I find it to be non-exploitative. I fought a battle against Spotify. I got into a Twitter beef with Daniel Ek because they got hold of my music. I argued with them and they said, ‘Well, yeah, you can sue us, but you’ll go broke trying.’ What is missing from the art world and what does your art provide? The idea is to create music that is challenging but also interesting. The goal is for it to

be challenging for the audience and also challenging for you to play. It just has to be meaningful. That mentality is missing from art, like the difference between watching a film and TikTok. What are the challenges that you face? Understanding American culture and not holding it against people who have been brutalized by it. I don’t understand why people don’t see artists as a necessity. I forget who it was that said, ‘The function of art is to disturb the comfortable and comfort the disturbed.’ I love that idea. Art is meant to ruffle you. It’s meant to change your viewpoint, and there’s so many ways to do it. You just have to be willing to piss off some people. What do you think of the term Latinx? I hate it. In all Latin countries, people hate it. From Mexico all the way down to Chile, everybody thinks it’s an American concept imposed on us. Which is not to say that these things don’t matter, that inclusion doesn’t matter. But do it for real! Let’s have these conversations. Let’s accept each other. Don’t just give me more taboos and rules I shouldn’t break. It’s an imposition that we didn’t ask for. Do you use social media? I’m not hip to all the hashtags and trends. I think it’s kind of funny that this older guy is on there. I’m not deliberately trying to reach young people, but I do love it when young people come. If I can, I try to plant the seed to inspire younger people to think about art in different ways…to find that thing in them whenever they’re hurting or in a bad place. Music has never let me down, and if it helps comfort the disturbed then I guess that’s my audience. —Designed By Ryan Marx

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 9

RUBÉN

PA C H

LDAR AS SA

BY MASON PERKINS ubén Pachas Saldarriaga, 47, is the son of a Black father and an Andean mother. He was born in Peru and moved to the United States in 2004. Both a teacher and a performer, Pachas says everything he does is an effort to educate people about the art of Peru. He currently lives in Schaumburg. What inspired you to take in all these different parts of culture and teach them? I was learning traditions from my parents. From my mom the dance, because my mom is from Piura in northern Peru. My father is from Chincha, south of Lima, Peru. They met in Lima, and they got married. I was very happy practicing their knowledge. When I was 16, I traveled to Arequipa, a big festival. Over there, I was meeting with people from Ucayali in the Amazon jungle. Very respectful people, very nice people. They invited me to go to their town. I was learning many important lessons related to nature and I was thinking, ‘Why don’t we know this?’ They said maybe because in Lima, you don’t have much nature, you have buildings, houses. Here we have to live next to the Amazon River. This [subject] is different than history and math and English, but nobody teaches me this very important knowledge. When I studied to be an art teacher, I was looking for more

10 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

RIAGA

OLKL | THE F

ORIST

N A E D AN HM RHYT S R O L O C D AN IN THE WINDY CITY ART INSTRUCTOR BRINGS PERUVIAN MUSIC AND DANCE TO CHICAGO

information to give my students. [Once] I was presenting a tradition from the Pucallpa region called Fiesta de San Juan. [In this celebration] 200 students danced and presented in different aspects: when a baby is born, the construction of a house, building a bridge, preparing a drink called Masato, which is a beverage made of fermented cassava juice. The teachers were very surprised and said, ‘What? Where did you learn this?’ I learned about the town, and I was observing the traditions many times because I attended this celebration for five years. My friends were learning every time I went. I was very happy pass along this knowledge through arts. I was thinking [about] kids like me when I was at that age. I wished somebody had taught me that.

Courtesy EL VACILÓN PHOTOGRAPHY

How would you describe your work as a dance instructor? Yes, I’m a dance Instructor, but I can teach instruments also. I share the indigenous knowledge from Peru because I was promoting indigenous Peruvian culture as I was learning it. As a dancer, I learned how people celebrate these traditions. But I didn’t learn dance

only, I had to learn the social context. [When I first started] people invited me to learn how to play instruments such as the quena, zampoña, cajón, and I was very open to learning everything. After that, people taught me the iconography, the customs, traditional attire, and how they are related to nature, to the cosmos, the sun, the moon, so many things. I visited different indigenous towns and

LEFT Wearing Inca attire,

Pachas Saldarriaga getting his master’s in art education from the Art Institute of Chicago. LOWER LEFT Performing in

Courtesy RUBÉN PACHAS SALDARRIAGA

the 2017 Peruvian Festival at Kosciuszko Park.

went back to Lima. I was teaching all this new knowledge in my school. You completed your master’s degree in art education and wrote your thesis. Can you tell me about that? When I arrived in the United States, I didn’t speak any English. When I received the offer to work here in 2004, it was only for two hours of teaching in the Chicago Public Schools and, no money for food, right? But I was very happy to receive the honor to work there. My dream was to have my master’s degree because I already had my bachelor’s. I went to UIC and in 2008 I was ready to study. But I was asked if I knew English and I replied that I knew a little. I was told that I had to speak English to enter the program, but I didn’t study because when I was teaching in the Chicago Public Schools, I had my interpreter in case

I was very happy to communicate this kind of knowledge through arts. I was thinking kids like me when I was at that age. I wished somebody had taught me that. somebody didn’t speak Spanish. I was seeing many people graduating, and I was thinking if they can do it, I want to do it because it was my dream. In 2017 I decided to get my master’s, but I didn’t know where and my English teacher recommended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He said the school is huge around the world—not only in the United States. When I started studying, I was working full time. I also studied full time—it was really

hard. I became sick because I was working and studying full time. My doctor said no, no, no, you have to study part time and work full time. I was looking inside myself and asking, ‘Am I an artist or am I an educator?’ And I found that I love to teach through arts, I can be in a classroom, can be in a performance, can be in a speech. I did my thesis in English, with help, of course. And I did my thesis in Spanish also because my teacher recommended it. When I graduated, we were online only because of the pandemic. Finally, there was a big ceremony with maybe 2,000 students from 2020, 2021 and 2022. I was wearing handmade Inca attire. You are the co-founder of the Center of Peruvian Arts. How did that get started? My wife, Jessica Loyaga, came to the U.S. also in 2004. We started dancing because we received many invitations. We were working with different

organizations promoting art. We worked at National Louis University for 10 years. We created a program with 120 students on stage for 12 weeks. We worked with students in kindergarten to eighth grade. We also taught in Pilsen, and we didn’t speak English. We performed in many universities, teaching about dance, music, iconography, history and Latin American Studies. But many people were telling me it was time to open my own organization. I said, ‘What is a nonprofit organization?’ I had one student who was dancing with me since he was in high school. He went to Loyola University and studied business. He said he could help with my organization. I also received support from the Business Department at Loyola University. They were asking me many times, what is the mission? I was telling them, ‘I’m going to teach dance, I’m going to teach music and share indigenous knowledge.’ We started the organization in 2018 and finished all the documentation in 2020. I called it the Center of Peruvian Arts because I was doing music, dance, drama, paint and visual arts. Now we are working very hard and learning how to apply for grants. It’s not easy, right? I hope that in one year we can get our own space. I will be promoting Peruvian culture, trying to show students and teach them how to play instruments and dance.

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 11

SOCIAL MEDIA CATAPULTS ANISSA CAMPOS TO THE RED CARPET

BY NORA GUERRERO

What inspired you to become an artist and to focus on nail art? I get that question a lot. I’ve always been into art as a whole. Since I was a little kid, it’s been something that I gravitated toward. I always liked art in general, like drawing. Art class was the one class where I was like ‘You know, I got it.’ I just loved it. I was at a university for two years and I didn’t feel it was the right path for me. I spent a while reflecting on what it is that I really want to do in life, and I guess it was just something that started off as a hobby for me in the beginning. It became something bigger than that, and it just bloomed into this. How long have you been working as a nail artist? Not that long. February 1 of 2022 was the day that I started. What has it been like getting to work with big artists like Poppy and Omar Apollo especially since it’s so early in your career? That was just so mind blowing because—I can’t even describe it. It’s just such a great feeling, especially because if you’re in a Mexican household anything having to do with art is not really taken seriously. It’s seen as a hobby and, ‘Oh, you can’t make a life out of this’. So, getting the opportunity to work with high profile clients, especially being a new nail artist, is super amazing. I worked with Poppy, which was really cool. That was my

12 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

first big client. Then going on to Omar Apollo, he had been one of my favorite artists ever, so it was just like full circle. I met his parents during his performance, and his entire family were sitting there watching [it.] I remember that Omar talks about in one of his interviews how being in a Hispanic household, you need to move in your own direction—if you really want to figure out who you are. Because sometimes people can feel constricted when there’s people telling you, ‘You can’t do this,’ ‘That’s not gonna make you any money’ or ‘You’re not going to be successful.’ Do you feel your identity as a Chicana has influenced your art? How does your cultural background inspire your work? I do nontraditional nail art. One of my cousins in Mexico does beautiful nail art; very traditional with the bright colors, the acrylic and then the coffin shape and the square shape and other embellishments like rhinestones and acrylic flowers. I love that style, but at the same time, I feel like I kind of moved in the other direction.

With a portrait of herself, Campos celebrates her one-year anniversary as a nail artist.

I found my own category. There are some super talented artists that I know from Mexico through social media that also do that same style. It’s so cool because they’re starting to mesh together. Here in the U.S. there are two different types of nails, funky and crazy, and the more traditional. In Mexico, you really only see the traditional but that there are artists that have that “different” style and starting to integrate that into the nail world: ‘Okay, maybe I can think outside the box and do this design even though it’s kind of weird and looks kind of funky.’

How do you build your platform as an artist? I know you use social media. I found you on Tik Tok and then I jumped over to Instagram. How does that help you? I have some other artists that I’m acquainted with in Chicago, like makeup artists. They always tell me, ‘You need to be on TikTok, I gained more on Tik Tok in such a short amount of time than I did on Instagram.’ Tik Tok is something that I’m afraid of sometimes. People on TikTok are so openly opinionated—even if it’s something that should be kept to yourself. I can definitely take constructive criticism, but I take things

ANISSA CAMPOS | THE NAIL AR TIST

CREATIVITY

at your

fingertips

Photos courtesy ANISSA CAMPOS

ery active in social media, Anissa Campos, 22, is a nail artist working on the Southeast side of Chicago. While she was born in the United States and grew up in Chicago, both of her parents are from Mexico. Her mother is from Jalisco and her father is from Michoacán. Campos considers herself Chicana.

LEFT Instagram and Tik Tok are the main social

media platforms Campos posts her work under the username nissanailedit. BELOW Campos has done work for famous clients

like Latino alternative singer Omar Apollo.

Art was the one class where I was like ‘You know, I got it.’ I just loved it. very personally. Nails are something that’s very personal to me. I guess I shouldn’t be taking things to heart. I need to expand more on TikTok because, like you said, you found me through that app. Through that video that I made, I was like, ‘You know, if it has five views in an hour, I’m gonna delete this,’ but I left it. Then I woke up the next day and I had a few thousands and just kept going up and up to, 30k likes. That’s the most that I’ve had on that platform. It made me think, ‘Maybe I should keep on being consistent on this app rather than on

Instagram’, even though I love Instagram. A lot of people have a lovehate relationship with Instagram because it really is the algorithm versus the artist. Most of the time, especially on apps like Instagram where people have problems with it hiding their content and burying it. For me, I don’t want to say that I’m lucky because I do put a lot of work into what I do. I see that, ‘This is trending, okay, I need to hop on it right now if I want my account to grow,’ but I will say that the algorithm has treated me fairly well in terms of the amount of people that I’ve been able to reach so far in such a small amount of time. I could expand to different platforms, maybe even Facebook. I feel like would expand my business and it is something that I am anxious about.

Growing up and working here, how has that shaped you as an individual and as an artist? The artist world in Chicago is very close knit. Even if you don’t find someone from your scene, ethnic and cultural background you will find someone that you can definitely resonate with. I’m from the far Southeast side, and I think it’s like 80% Hispanic. Growing up here, and throughout high school, maybe even college it’s very easy to find people who share the same passions and who have this love for art. What is probably the hardest part would be Mexican culture being very traditional, with the patriarchal family structure where the sister gets a role, the brother gets a role, the mother or father each have their own role to keep everything afloat. I feel because of that, there’s this strong sense of unity and family throughout the entire Latinx

community. What we’re starting to realize now is that there can still be that unity without someone being bound or restricted within these social norms that usually the older generation is more accustomed to. A woman can be the breadwinner without her being labeled as ‘too masculine’ or a man can show his emotions without being labeled as ‘too feminine’. That actually unites us further, because we’re all able to feel the same way, do the same things and think the same way. In Chicago, there’s so many creatives that probably have the same mindset as you, and like I said, same passions. There are so many artists, photographers, nail artists, just people that work in different media that you can bond with and create a relationship with. —Design by Aliya Segura

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 13

BY LAUREN GALÁRRAGA

tefanie Jara Escobar, 30, has always loved the arts. She studied acting at the Instituto Superior de Televisión in Guayaquil, Ecuador, where she was born. After graduating at 21, she moved to Chicago. She is currently an ensemble member of Aguijón Theater Co. Her passion is theater, but she also teaches Spanish and is working toward a bachelor’s degree in interior architecture. Did you come to the U.S. to visit or did you plan to find a job here? The main reason was to have a better future and find more opportunities. My mother is an American resident and asked me to come. When I found AguijónTheater, I knew that was what I was looking for. Now Aguijón is my family in Chicago. Who inspired you to go into theater? My family. My father’s side are all artists. [He’s] always in touch with his artsy side. For a New Year’s tradition my dad would make this detailed doll and on New Year’s Eve he would burn it. It takes months of work. It’s an art form in Ecuador. They are so beautiful that it makes me not want to burn it. When did you realize you wanted to be an artist? I was always an artistic kid but never imagined that it would turn into my career. An art career is usually frowned upon by your family. In Ecuador, acting is limited; there wouldn’t be a lot of options to study acting in universities. In my last year of high school, I devoted myself completely [to acting]. But my family would always give excuses as to why I shouldn’t do that or

14 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

Courtesy AGUIJÓN THEATER

Jara (left) as Meche in Mario Vargas Llosa’s “La Chunga.”

Holding a sickle and a hammer in “Adverses,” in 2016.

Courtesy AGUIJÓN THEATER

STEFANIE JARA | THE ACTRESS & DESIGNER

STAGEandSPACE

CROSSOVER Ecuadorian actress transfers her performance skills and embarks on a long-desired goal

Art is subjective. You share it and people take it the way they understand it. why they wouldn’t pay for it. I saw this [attending college] as my chance to study something that I like. I studied acting there for four years. I graduated, and then I came here [to the United States]. And I’ve been with Aguijón Theater ever since. What are your other jobs? I’m also a Spanish teacher. I like to teach through art. I would draw a house with a red roof and show it to the class, asking, “What is this [in Spanish]?” Art helps [me] to do that. It’s cool to teach and to share your language and what you know with people. The kids like it and they learn fast.

How do you describe yourself and your culture? I define myself as an Ecuadorian Latina. I am Mestiza. In Ecuador, everyone is Mestizo. There’s a lot of mix in my family. I come from the coast [Guayaquil] but my grandparents live in the mountains in the city of Cuenca. I have family in Quito too, so there are many mixes. Describe your training as an actor. I have learned acting in theater and television. They’re very different. [Acting] in television [is quick] because time is money. I prefer theater because it’s live, only once. If you mess up, you messed up. Once it’s done, it’s done, unlike cinema or television. You are now studying interior architecture? My mom worked for over 20 years as a librarian at the University of Guayaquil School of Architecture. There were a lot of

books on architecture and interior design that I read as a child. It inspired me. I decided that eventually I would study that. How has Chicago affected you? It is very diverse with a lot of cultures. You get to know so many people from many other backgrounds. You learn a little bit from everyone, and you take it with you. I came here with zero English skills. I had to learn the language. Even though it was a bit hard, I kept learning. It’s now been nine years and I’m finishing my second associate degree to continue with a bachelor’s in interior architecture. Aguijón Theater uses subtitles to share plays with everyone, right? How do they make it more accessible? They specialize in plays in Spanish, but they use subtitles in English to help break that [language] barrier and bring that

Photo CARLOS GARCÍA SERVÍN

In 2018, “Casa Propia“ by Dolores Prida, Jara played Junior.

Jara working on an architectural project for a residential home.

rich Latino culture [to the United States]. Once you begin reading the subtitles, you get sucked into the story. Not just Latinos but everyone. It’s a beautiful thing to share it with people from other cultures. Everyone is invited. What is lacking in the art world and how does your art address its shortcomings? Art is subjective. You want to experience it with compassion and love. You share it and people take it the way they understand it. One person won’t like it while another one does. What’s most

important to focus on is knowing that you did your best and that you gave your all. What are the challenges you have faced while practicing your art? The first challenge was the language. It makes you despair because you don’t know how to express yourself. There are so many things that you want to do. I don’t know if I see it as an impediment anymore. I don’t have a lot of extra time since I’m studying so much and working at the same time. All my work is

in English, but I feel more confident in Spanish. How do you feel about the word Latinx? I was confused because I didn’t understand it at first. For me it feels very new. It’s important because I respect inclusion and it depends on how the person feels whether they use the word Latino, Latina or Latinx. That’s the nice thing about art because it doesn’t have a gender. It’s for everyone. It doesn’t have a race or sex.

Courtesy AGUIJÓN THEATER

Who is your target audience? How do you want people to see and understand your art? I do theater, painting, and interior design for everyone to enjoy them. I do everything with discipline and dedication because I love it and I want to share it with the world. The understanding depends on the person who’s viewing my art because it’s subjective. If you stop because of a comment someone makes saying it’s not good enough, you’re not going to do it right. Create it with commitment, respect and love. How do you share your art — do you use social media? Yes. I share on social media. I have Facebook and Instagram. If I have a painting, I put it on my stories, or theater pictures when I have an event. I share my work with everyone. What types of plays have you been in? I’ve done both dramas and comedies. My first one in Chicago was “La Chunga” by Mario Vargas Llosa where I played Meche, the girl everyone wanted. “Casa Propia” (A House of Her Own) is a dramatic comedy. “Adverses” was a fun play with an exaggerated performance direction. You get into character, things come out and you’re surprised by it. When I am not performing, I work as an assistant stage manager, also operating lights and sound. I want to eventually do set design, blending architecture with theater.

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 15

NATHALIA ROCA | THE ILLUSTRATOR BY JJ SALGADO

athalia Roca was born in Venezuela from a Venezuelan mother and a Cuban father. Roca moved to the United States with her family when she was 8, but her father had moved here earlier to escape the communist government in Cuba and, later, communism in Venezuela. Now a sophomore at Columbia College Chicago, Roca is studying illustration and painting. She focuses on the human figure and incorporates biblical images in her work. What inspired you to become an artist? I’ll say my mom because actually she is a full-time artist. She studied fine art in at Universidad de Arturo Michelena in Valencia, Venezuela. So, all my life I grew up in that studio painting environment. She would just turn any room into a studio. I’ve always been around paintings and drawings. My dad is an architect. He started in architecture in Cuba. Always in every way I’ve been influenced and leaning toward that creative atmosphere. When did you realize you wanted to be an artist? About six years ago, I was probably 13 or 14. Prior to that, I was really young and I had no idea what I wanted to do, what I wanted to be, even though I’ve always kind of been immersed in the art world, I still didn’t even consider that to be a possibility for a career choice. What medium do you mainly work in? There’s just this very fine line between fine art and illustration. Illustrators are kind of free to explore any medium nowadays. It’s more typically all digital. I really like to maintain the techniques that I’m familiar with, and that I was exposed to my whole life. I’d say, the medium that I rely on most is painting in general. I’m just grateful that I get to pursue an art education that will teach me how to market that, and how to live off of that. How do you describe yourself and your culture? Venezuelan culture as very bright, very caring, very straight16 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

Venezuelan creator finds her inspiration in God

The

godly artist “As I pursue art in college and continue to develop my voice as an artist, I am committed to dedicating my career to storytelling through illustration,” Roca says.

forward. I’m not afraid to call out someone, when you see somebody kind of straying away from their path or doing something wrong. That’s something that’s built in. My family, and in my surroundings, everybody in the family is always keeping you in check and letting you know how to improve and better yourself. How has your identity as a Latina influenced your art and passions? A way that my culture influences my work would just be in my general thought process … When you’re creating something, you’re devoting a part of yourself to that work. Just the way that my worldview is shaped by my culture, it’s inevitably going to reflect in my work, whether they’re faith-based or not, they’re always going to showcase the way that I view the world. Through my culture, and through my faith. I think that’s just all interconnected.

What’s your inspiration or motivation? My inspiration is God. Yeah, I think it’s such a crucial factor of the creative process, for me to lean into the original source of creation and the original source of creativity. Without my faith, I would feel creativity is stagnant and a little bit purposeless. My culture inevitably seeps into my work. What is it like being a Latinx artist in Chicago? How has it shaped you as an individual? I actually moved to Chicago almost three years ago, and it’s so life changing because prior to this, I was living in South Carolina and I feel like the culture of that particular state, is so different. Here it’s much more open; much more inclusive of different ways that people want to implement art into their career, whereas where I was living before, it was much more close-minded, a little bit more limited. And, and in a lot of categories, [what] you

have to be if you’re a painter, you must be a gallery artist, or you must work for rich patrons, or it’s very categorized and very labeled. Here in Chicago I find that freedom to kind of walk away from labels and be like, ‘this is the work that I like to do, this is me, and that’s how I sell it.’ I don’t have to rely on any label to tell me what I do, or how I do it, where I do it. I think there’s a very freeing thing of being an artist in Chicago.

ally feel limited in what I want to do and how I want to identify as an artist. Nowadays it’s not ‘I’m an artist’; it’s ‘I’m an illustrator that does books specifically for this type of community,’ and so it’s much more narrow, which being niche really does help in the market. I do sometimes struggle with the idea of just limiting my creativity, in the sense that I’m just only doing one thing, when there’s so many ideas I want to explore, and so many different approaches I want to take. I don’t think one idea should just be limited to one medium. I think a single idea can be expressed in a million ways. So yeah, just categorizing would be something I struggle with.

Roca finds her experiences have fostered her desire to create and explore faith-based art.

How do you make your art accessible to an audience? Typically, I will post my art on social media. That’s how I’ve reached a little milestone into making available for people to contact me through whether that be for commissions or for prints or for custom drawing. What is missing from the art world and what does your art provide? We’re visual communicators. I don’t want to limit it or generalize but I would say, sometimes I feel like the art world may be missing a little bit of purpose. But I guess in my work it’s always rooted in some sort of deeper eternal purpose, rather than just

something for the eyes. I think that the purpose is as much unnecessary because as artists we’ve been given different ways to express our voices and express our worldviews and we can use that for something greater than just the beauty of the medium. Because essentially, our medium is what we’re contributing to society, in a way. What we want to leave behind and implant into our current society for future generations. What are the challenges that you face? One of my biggest struggles at the moment would be, society’s tendency to generalize and put you in a little category. But I re-

ent types of projects, still with the same faith-based intent always. But sometimes I might want to express my work to an older audience or to a younger audience. It just really depends on what project I’m working on. If I had to choose a line of work for the rest of my life would probably be for people who feel lost. I would say that’s my target audience.

How do you build your platform as an artist? Do you use social media? When you’re an artist it is [important] to put your work out there. The way that I’ve done it is either put myself, put my work in front. Without hesitation, I feel like artists sometimes can be reWhat do you think of the ally nitpicky and we like to kind term Latinx? of wait for the right moment. I wouldn’t say But I think there is that I’m particuMy inspiration no right moment. I larly well versed think the right mois God. Yeah, I ment is now. in the term. But think it’s such just speaking from There’s this kind my own cultural a crucial factor of model from Ecclesurroundings and that I always of the creative siastics upbringing, it’s not like to point to: the process, for me, farmer who waits a very common term. I would just to lean into the for the right time say, the way that original source to plant will never we implement proharvest. So, if you’re of creation. nouns in the Spanalways waiting for ish language is so the right weather strikingly different from the way maybe there’s never going to be that we do so in English. And it the right weather, so you’re never can come off as a little confusing going to plant your seed. at times. For me, the way that I feel my I personally never use that quest is just to keep planting my term. I would generally just say seeds and to keep putting my Latinos. I don’t intend on using work out there. I have my own it anytime soon and nobody has website, and I post my work on ever used it with me. Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. I It’s not very common in Ventry to be very versatile with soezuela, you will never hear that. cial media that I use and always I feel like it might apply more to constantly exposing my work. people who have Latino descenSometimes I draw back from postdants and were born in the U.S. ing my work because I think, ‘Oh, and maybe English is their first what if it’s not ready?’ I shake off language or they grew up speakthat mindset off by saying, ‘Well, ing both English and Spanish. I it’s kind of selfish of me if I want feel like for solely Spanish-speakto keep my work for myself.’ I ing people, it’s not a problem. could be helping so many people. Just expand your horizons, Who is your target audience? expand your social media usage. How do you want it to be reSo, you can be constantly reachceived? ing more people and making the My target audience does deimpact that you want to make. pend on the work of the certain —Designed by Megan Andjulis piece I’m displaying. I do differChicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 17

My art came from me and my hands and mind. That’s all the justification I need for it to be considered Latino or Mexican art. JAVIER SUÁREZ | THE BRANDING DESIGNER BY SAM MELGAR

ith a focus on diversity and representation, Javier Suárez, 32, is a branding designer, strategist and co-owner of a cannabis company. He currently lives in West Chicago. His parents are from Mexico and he describes himself as Latino or Hispanic. He attended Columbia College Chicago, where he studied illustration, and now primarily works as a graphic designer. His pop-cultureinspired art carries a visual language that combines Saturday morning cartoons

Illustrator Javier Suárez goes beyond Frida Kahlo for Latinx representation with a super-flat aesthetic. ‘It’s not necessarily meant to bring other people joy. If they do find joy in it, that’s great. Again, I do it more for me and partly for that representation and diversity, especially in the people that I think for me, is important.’ When asked about his work, Suárez states, ‘I just want people to see some version of themselves in my art. I think for me, that would be a success.” What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American or Spanish background? I have a very silly outlook, not that it’s silly necessarily, but my outlook is go-

ing to be silly. I just don’t enter the debate, Latinx, because all words are made up and there’s nothing wrong with making up another word that we identify as. Personally, I identify as Latino. I have no issues. Should people be allowed to use Latinx or Latine? Absolutely, I don’t understand why not. To me, this is just really silly. People need to draw more, and get a hobby. We shouldn’t have that conversation. For me, Latinx is just another step and a bunch of people trying to figure out their place in the world, and Latinx is the next step in being inclusive to people coming from places that aren’t very inclusive, whether it be from the U.S. or Latin America. Unless you’re a part of that traditional social binary that we’ve adhered to for how many years, I can relate a lot to feeling othered in a place that really makes you feel that way, but I feel like Latinx is a way

of people claiming their space in this world. For me, I want to encourage that. We’re imperfect people and there’s never going to be one word that sums up all of our parts accurately. Doesn’t matter how hard we try. How is your identity as a Latino influencing your art and your passion for it? Everything that I do, even larger than design or illustration, has the purpose to some extent of being used as a means of building generational wealth for myself and for the people around me. For example, I run a branding studio. It’s usually just me but for every project, I try to reach out to a younger career artist, designer, or copywriter, and I try to bring them in and to get that experience and opportunity, as well as pay for work that might interest them. You know, for going into the future. Art isn’t for me, an end goal. I don’t want to be up in a museum somewhere. I think for me, artists are more of a means of getting something that creates sustainability for a profes-

Artwork that fills the

neglected

space 18 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

Photos courtesy JAVIER SUÁREZ

sion that Latinos, especially older generation Latinos, don’t really see as something sustainable, financially speaking. What’s it like being a Latino artist in Chicago and has it shaped you much as an individual? Yes and no. I think Chicago is wonderful in the sense that it does have a lot of communities. It’s obviously a bigger city. I feel like a lot of those communities can be very alienating. It comes both ways, right? It’s nice to be in a place surrounded by a lot of peers who may or may not have come from similar places. You know, first-generation Latinos, whether it be Mexico, Guatemala, whatever. I just feel like it can go negatively in the other way. What I’ve seen happen, I’ve lived in Pilsen for a long time, I don’t anymore, and I just started seeing a lot of the same influences come up. It creates this homogenous art style where everyone’s doing Frida Kahlo, and they love it. Which to me, don’t get me wrong. It’s a part of my Mexican identity, but for me personally, I grew up with Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, so a lot of those visual cues are considered ‘very Mexican’ to me. I find it a little strange that we hyperfocus on things like

Frida Kahlo or all the bright colors, which is fine. It starts to feel like insecurity, trying to prove that you’re Mexican enough or Latino. Just draw what you enjoy drawing or draw the things that you want to do. I always tell people that my art is Mexican art because I’m Mexican therefore anything I create is Mexican art. I don’t have to draw a cactus in my composition for me to be ‘look, it’s Mexican art because there’s a cactus.’ No, it came from me and my hands and mind. That’s all the justification I need for it to be considered Latino or Mexican art. I just wish people were self-aware. You can do anything you like, you don’t have to do what everyone else is doing around you. When it comes to your artwork, what do you aim to show with that art if you have any meanings underneath all that? So, I’m primarily a graphic designer now. I went to Columbia College for illustration. I still do illustrate quite a bit for mostly commercial clients. My designs are a little different from my illustrations, I really like to focus on diversity. So, I get commissioned to do a lot of people or crowds of people. I guess that’s kind of what I’m known for aesthetically. Within

those crowds of people, I try to have as much representation as possible. That’s important to me because growing up in the art academia, whether it be high school or college, I feel like I didn’t really see myself in a lot of the artwork that I was being taught. There’s always the Frida Kahlo section and a little bit of the Diego Rivera, but honestly, I didn’t really relate to a lot of that. I guess I wanted to create that type of work that I wish I would have seen when I was a kid and also see myself in a way. I’m hoping to do that for you know, other people or even the younger people who may be inspired to pursue illustration or art in general. What do you feel is missing from the art world and do you feel like your art provides for that? A lot of things are missing. I mean, this is a much larger conversation, much more. More art programs, more youthorientated art programs. I used to run an arts and performance space in Pilsen and our focus for the two years it was open was multigenerational art shows. I think there’s a disconnect between different generations of artists, especially in places like Pilsen, Little Village. There are a lot of artists there

Suárez’ work is known for his focus on diversity and representation.

and I feel like there are these older master printmakers, and then there are the people like my age who are in their 30s who grew up in the 90s that have a shared catalog of visual inspirations and pop culture, and then there’s the younger crowd. We all have our art shows, cliques, and communities, but there’s not a lot of overlap between the older crowds, the generations before them, and the generations before them. I think what is missing is a larger conversation. Keeping it simple, what you said earlier about identity, I think there’s a much broader conversation to be had in regard to identity with every generation. How does my experience differ from being a first-gen born in the 90s, someone who was a first-gen in the 70s here, or 60s? I’m sure it’s a different experience and I’m sure there’s a lot of overlap there. There’s a conversation that could be had for all of us as a people to understand our Latino or Mexican condition and it can be just as simple as here in Chicago. — Designed by Gracie Huggler Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 19

\\\ BY GABRIELA LARGACHA-GÓMEZ ///

ith his family hailing from Guayaquil, Ecuador, illustrator Van Espinoza, 20, was born in Chicago. He identifies as Hispanic and Latino and also uses the term “sudamericano,” — South American. He has been working with digital art but says he is looking for a way to get back to his roots, dabbling in bleach painting and other more natu-

ral media. His focus is Queer Latinx topics; he says he is pushing herself to mix media in order to better illustrate those ideas. Currently, Espinoza is studying illustration at Columbia College Chicago. Last March, he won third place for a submission to the Propaganda Posters for the Modern Day, an exhibition of original artwork by Columbia College students.

VAN ESPINOZA | THE IMAGE MAKER

THEFIGHTAGAINST YOUROWN CULTURE What inspired you to become an artist? Quite honestly, [it] was the monetary gratification that came with making art. I was a pretty quiet kid and being good at drawing was a way for me to connect with the people around me. Seeing people enjoy my art let me know I was on the right path. When did you realize you wanted to be an artist? I realized I wanted to be a ‘professional’ artist when my uncle passed away in 2015. He was an artist too, specifically an architect, and used to make me coloring sheets with the building plans he made. Before his death I had the idea of pursuing art bouncing around in my head, and after he was gone it really solidified things for me. What medium do you mainly work in and why? I used to work a lot with pencil but in early high school started experimenting with digital. Now Procreate is the main program I use. How do you describe yourself and your culture? It’s hard to pinpoint Ecuadorian culture as a whole. The country, while small, has different 20 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

Inspired by the alternative scenes from Latin America, Queer illustrator defies traditional Latinx values

PHOTOS COURTESY VAN ESPINOZA

people from different regions and a variety of influences within it. I’d say most of Ecuador, including my family, despite being from the coast of Guayaquil, share a lot of the beliefs and myths passed on by indigenous folks. Something that really unites the country, like in most Latin countries, is the belief in a united family. If there’s anything that ties people back to Ecuador it’s the sense of community each of its people has. How has your identity as a Latinx influenced your art? How does your cultural background inspire your work? Entering my 20s I’m just beginning to find my identity as a Latino artist. Being queer and trans AND a ‘modern’ artist has never had a place in Guayaquil, this has made it incredibly hard to take pride and see myself in my country. It’s fairly recent that I’ve seen my people rise up in Ecuador. Their first ever Trans March had only been 1-2 years back, consisting of about 20 people. This small community is what influences my work the most.

Van Espinoza studies illustration at Columbia College Chicago. Their current digital art is produced with the Procreate application.

people don’t know where my country is on a map. How do you make your art accessible to an audience? My art was initially accessible because I posted it online. I started my art account back in 2019 and have slowly built a very small audience of people who enjoy it. Recently I’ve also started printing my art, and soon it’ll be circulating around even more than it already was.

The art world is missing more queer Latin/Black alternative art. I’m so sick and tired of seeing white people dominate the scene.

Espinoza’s depiction of Jesus as a Latinx transgender person

What’s your inspiration or motivation? My biggest inspirations at the moment are the alternative scenes in Latin America. I think there’s too much focus on the western side of rock and punk. I’ve just recently started to discover a whole world I can identify with in Latin America. What drives me to make more art is the need to defy what I originally thought it meant to be Ecuadorian — catholic, cis, straight and conservative.

What is it like being a Latinx artist in Chicago, and how has it shaped you as an individual? Chicago brings a lot of opportunities for Latinx artists. There are a lot of different cultural influences in the city and a lot of shows/events relating to them. But even with this there’s a lack of representing the whole Hispanic community. Being an artist in Chicago has shaped me into realizing Ecuador is much smaller than I thought. This dawns on me when even other Latinx

What is missing from the art world and what does your art provide? How does it fill that space or gap? The art world is missing more queer Latin/black alternative art. I’m so sick and tired of seeing white people dominate the scene. I wanna see even more Latin zines and LGBT art pieces rise up. With me starting to build my identity as a Latin artist I’ve started to fight back against a lot of aspects of my culture. A big one I’ve come to really enjoy is Evangelical Christian myths. I’ve been depicting Jesus as a Latinx trans person and reintroducing popular characters like Mary Magdalene, Peter and Lucifer as queer Hispanic people. When others, mostly white, think of a cultural art piece they have a very basic idea in their head. I want my art to go further than that, whether it be my ‘religious’ art motifs now or my art in the future. I wanna be the first of many to fill the gaps in the Hispanic community by exclusively making Latin queer art.

What are the challenges that you face? My biggest challenge is keeping all my ideas and art pieces under wraps when confronted with family. It’s almost funny because [recently] I talked to my uncle in Chile about how much I love Los Prisioneros and the first thing out of his mouth was ‘what? Are you a communist?’ So, you can already guess my family is still very rooted to Ecuador’s values, and they would hate my depictions of Jesus. It’s a bummer to be recognized by teachers and peers in school and having success online but when it comes to sharing it with someone as simple as my mom, I can’t. What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American or Spanish background? I don’t mind the terms Latinx or Latine, I think using it to describe Latin America as a whole it’s convenient and inclusive. Plus, if it helps Hispanic non-binary people then that’s all good to me. Who is your target audience? How do you want it to be received? My target audience will always be and always has been queer Latinx people. I want them to relate and feel liberated by my art. I know a lot of Latinx people have gone through some trauma relating to their experience here in the US or within the religion they grew up in and that’s what I want my art to become about. How do you build your platform as an artist? Do you use social media? I build my platform as an artist by interacting with other artists in person and/or online. I used to be way more active on social media but I’ve been really slacking. I’m slowly becoming better about posting! —Design by Tianna Rayappan

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 21

Artist Marcos Raya, 75, at his studio in Bridgeport, Chicago PHOTO ALINA PAWL-CASTAÑÓN

22 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

MARCOS RAYA | THE AR TIST

REFLECTiONS of iDENTiTY and PAiN

Multifaceted artist Marcos Raya, a living legend in the Chicago cultural scene

BY ALINA PAWL-CASTANÓN

RTIST, ACTIVIST, MURALIST AND painter Marcos Raya was born in Guanajuato, Mexico in 1948. At age 15, in 1964, he moved to Chicago to be with his mother. Attempting to evade the Vietnam draft, Raya returned to Mexico in 1968 where he was involved in the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM) student protests before relocating to the southwest community of Pilsen during the Civil Rights and Chicano movements of the late ’60s and ’70s. Raya began creating artwork that reflected his shared pain and anger caused by what he saw throughout the streets of his neighborhood. In his works such as “The Alley’’ (2010) and his self-portrait “3 A.M Sunday Morning” (2002) we get to see the inner turmoil and struggle against Raya’s personal and political demons that continues to lay rampant within the community. Using his strong influences in Psychedelic Surrealism and Dadaism, Raya explores the sociological impacts of war, political disparity, and technology throughout his work, rejecting what he commonly calls Mexican Nationalist art. UPPER RIGHT In 1980 Raya painted 3 A.M.,

Sunday Morning, depicting time, alcohol and guns, along with demons that flote above him.

What media do you work in? When did you know you were an artist? Tell me about the first time you created a painting. I am an artist. The difference between Picasso and Matisse is that Matisse is the painter, Picasso is the artist. I am an artist. Nowadays kids, you give them a couple of brushes and they doodle and that’s it. It’s not easy to become an artist. For me, art is a bunch of ideas that you put together. Art is politics, art is everything. So, in order for me to achieve that, I had to come to the conclusion that time doesn’t exist. In order for me to become an artist, I needed 24 hours to think and to paint. For that, one of your biggest obstacles is money, rent and food. Raya sits back in his paintstained chair and laughs, clutching a cane adorned in metal and skull imagery. Not many people go to the extremes to not only be an original but be a full-time artist. I went out to gamble my life and became a full-time artist. That

happened when my high school teacher told me to visit an art institute [in Massachusetts.] Back then, in the early ’60s for you as a minority to say that you will become an artist, they would think you were crazy because there was no such thing. When we walked into the art class and I saw these students create beautiful things, I told myself, ‘This is what I wanted to do.’

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 23

BELOW Night Dog, 1987,

captures the Pilsen community in the ’80s.

As a man who has strong ties within political groups and movements, how do sociopolitical themes play into your art process? How has this evolved throughout your career? I ended up in Mexico City in 1968 [where] there was a student movement. That’s when I got politicized and when I started to hate the Mexican government. My perspective on life has changed drastically. Locally, when I first got to Pilsen, I noticed right away something was wrong because from one day to the other the neighborhood was filled with drugs and guns. It’s something else. When I arrived in Pilsen, it was a Chicano neighborhood, and there were a lot of Mexican families. But in the ’80s we had the Mexican exodus when everything became mexicanized. With that, some of the artists that came to Mexico, they are the ones who got all the projects. The problem with this is that they didn’t really tackle the identity, the real deal of what it is like to be a Mexican living in Chicago. Instead, they bring this nationalistic infant view of us as singing Mexicans, a character of Mexicans.

The difference between Picasso and Matisse is that Matisse is the painter, Picasso is the artist. I am an artist. When my show opens, I assure you no one from Pilsen will show up. How am I supposed to talk to the young people? The sickness, what I call Mexican

24 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

BELOW RIGHT The Fallen

Dictator mural painted on concrete in 1982 at 18th St. and Western Ave. in Chicago.

Nationalism, those kids who invade downtown with their Mexican flags. I find it disgusting because we forget that we live in a city where there are all kinds of people from all over the world, and not everyone does what Mexicans do. I have to say, I think it’s ignorance. I have to ask myself, ‘What happened to us?’ Nobody cares about what we do in Pilsen except those in that bubble. And I don’t think I’m welcome in that bubble. How has your identity and cultural background played a factor in your artistic expression? Tell me about your experiences moving to Chicago in the midst of the civil rights and the Chicano movements. Before we built our first Mexican neighborhood in Chicago we lived under the status quo, where everything was white and for whites only. And I remember how horrible that was. So to me,

moving to Pilsen was like, ‘Let’s build Pilsen.’ I look back to what I did in the little studio at 17th St. and Halsted. One of the paintings that I did when I was only 17 years old, I saw it on PBS News Channel 11. It was showcased as one of the best paintings in the Chicano movement in the United States. It’s hanging right now in the New Museum in Houston. It shows even then I was doing really well, and I was interested in studio art, not the

politics in the street. I had one foot in the street, one foot in the studio. Murals, for me, were something pure. It was here in the streets, painting political murals, organizing the people to fight for a better living, and it worked. I never got paid for the six murals that I painted. What kept me strong was my ideas. I always enjoyed painting, I enjoyed writing books, I enjoyed the whole imaginary world of art. It’s remarkable

LEFT The Alley, was

painted in 2010. BELOW Hijos de la mala

vida, 1995, shows his old drinking friends before they passed away.

identity, about imagery. When I first arrived in Chicago, I was only fifteen. The first thing I noticed was the Chicanos and Black people being so violent against each other. I used to wonder, ‘Why?’ But then of course little by little I realized they were victims of society, of racism. From day one, I told myself I had to stay away from those people, that I had to find my own identity, and that’s what I did. because when I arrived in Pilsen it was considered to be one of the most violent neighborhoods in the United States. We had the war on drugs. The kids from back then in the ’70s, they grew up without leadership. So right away like any Latin American country, instead of joining the people to protect the neighborhood, they joined the enemy, the drug dealers. For about 30 years that neighborhood was run by gangs, there was a lot of killing. So, I have a few questions about

Raya rejects the common Aztec calendar themed murals we see decorating Pilsen’s walls today. The history of Mexico is black. It still is. All of these colorful things come from the huevos, these Hispanic colorful fellas that like to party and drink tequila. Little by little we become cartoons of our own selves, by dressing like Frida

Besides paintings, murals, collages and installations, Raya also works on art objects like War, left.

and [Día] de los muertos is now a spectacle. I understand you moved to the United States from Guanajuato in 1964. What were your reasons for the move and what has kept you in Chicago? I guess it has to do with how we grew up. For instance, my mom lived in the same neighborhood on Taylor St. all her life. Maybe it’s that, the familiarity. What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American or Spanish background? That word, ‘Hispanic,’ came back. We fought against it so hard. For instance, when a person organizes art shows, one of the biggest mistakes they make is, when they get money to get a “Hispanic” show or a “Latino” show, they put everyone in one bag. Usually, the only thing they have in common is the last name. There is no connection, there is no political message or identity. Now, ‘Latino.’ There was a time in the ’60s we had a Latino thing going on on a continental level. Starting with the Latino boom, some of the best writers came out of it. There was also a sense of revolution, especially when it came to Cuba and the student movement and many things. Back then it was very political and radical, to be a Latino. With time, with everything else, things begin to get commercialized. Because I refuse to be a citizen, I’m still very Mexican. I don’t say I’m a Mexican because I love my country, no. Being Mexican makes me feel like I’m a part of the universal Mexican family. When I paint, I don’t throw my Mexicanism in your face. I don’t do it. If I paint and some Mexicanism comes out, it has to be very natural, it has to come out of your soul.

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 25

MEL

Columbia graduate transforms challenges into visual storytelling

ased in Chicago, Mel Valentine Vargas, 25, is a graphic novelist and illustrator. Both parents are Cuban immigrants. Born in Miami, Vargas graduated from Columbia College Chicago in 2020 and identifies as Queer NonBinary White Latine. Vargas’s preferred pronoun is ‘they’ and says their artwork focuses on representing Queer and Latine bodies of all shapes through visual storytelling. What inspired you to become an artist? [TV] shows growing up. I’ve always really, really liked animation. Every time I would watch an animated show when I was little, I used to like watching it and drawing at the same time. So definitely, like Cartoon Network and Studio Ghibli. When did you realize you wanted to be an artist? I always thought of myself as a little bit of an artist. I knew I wanted to pursue it as a but I didn’t allow myself to because immigrant parents are always like, ‘You gotta get a good job!’ Their perception of a good job is one that’s going to make you a lot of money. For a long time, that was really hard for me to come to terms with. I actually went to community college for two years before I went to Columbia, to study for a biology degree. I used to love it. I would spend all day at school. Then I would come home and I would only want to draw. It was the one thing I would think of all day long. I was like, ‘This is no way to live life… I should be actually pursuing art if that’s what I’m wanting to do with all my free time.’ A year and a half into community college, I actually decided to pursue it as a career. Did your parents approve of your choice to pursue art? It was really scary to admit to them that I just wanted to change career paths. It was very much of them asking, ‘How are 26 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

you going to make money off of this?’ and ‘Making art is hard.’ Their perception of art is of fine art, like things that are going to be in a museum, and I knew that’s not what I wanted to do. From the point that I entered Columbia, I knew I wanted to be doing graphic novels and comics. It was hard to even explain that to them. To immigrants, a good job is something that is very lucrative. And they don’t see art that way. To them it’s a risk… They did [eventually] come around. What medium do you mainly work in? I do 100% of my work on my iPad on Procreate. How would you describe yourself and your culture? I’m a Queer Latinx Chicagobased graphic novelist. [These] three things that are super integral to me because I am Queer and Latinx above everything else. Latinx is super important to my identity especially with having two immigrant parents. I learned Spanish before I even learned English. I grew up in Miami too, which is very heavily populated by [Hispanics,] specifically Cubans. I don’t even accept doing jobs for books if the main character isn’t either Hispanic or queer. It just doesn’t feel like a job that needs my attention. When I’m drawing I try to make the characters really diverse. It’s very integral to my identity and how I view the world.

PHOTO MEL VALENTINE VARGAS

How has your identity as a Latine influenced your art? How does it come out in your work? Oh, my God, it influences it so much. When I was younger really badly wanted to be blond. Not that Hispanic people can’t be blond, but [Hispanics are] very rarely portrayed [in media]. It’s usually not a great caricature of how it is like being Hispanic. I remember growing up not having the world really be aware about Hispanic and Latinx culture; what a large and rich melting pot everything [is and at the same time how] cultures can stand on their own. I’m trying to draw things that a younger me needed growing up. A lot of the time minorities are not portrayed the way that they should be or not portrayed at all. It’s [also] really great to see now a lot of new media portraying Hispanics that are different. Also having Latinx based

I love being queer and Latinx and fat and writing about those characters! And sometimes people want to see a queer fat Latine do magic.

Most of Vargas’ art is published on the web, making it accessible for most people to find and view online.

shows showing Afro Latinos, who don’t often get a spotlight. It’s really important to make sure that my art is diverse and helping somebody be seen that usually isn’t seen. I also grew up hairy and I’m still very hairy too, which is something that I struggled with. Not every Latinx person is super hairy, but a lot of us are. I was a lot more like brown growing up too, and you [feel] alienated. In Florida, Disney is a big thing. None of the princesses look like me and I loved Ariel,

VALENTINE VARGAS | THE GRAPHIC STORYTELLER

Photo MEL VALENTINE VARGAS

QUEER, LATINX &

FAT | BY ANGÉLICA OLIVARES |

Artwork by MEL VALENTINE VARGAS

Vargas creates their work on an iPad in Procreate.

riences shape who you are as a person, it’s kind of impossible for it not to shape your art.

but I looked nothing like Ariel. That seems so small, but when you are a kid, it really messes with your view of who you are as a person. I have always been plus size and that is important in my art and exploring different body sizes. Growing up and not having that really sucks and it really changes your perception of you and your self-esteem. How has your family influenced your art? In a regular way, how your culture and how your past expe-

What’s your inspiration? Other artists like animated media and Studio Ghibli. Also, other minority artists. One of the main reasons that I still go on Instagram is to look at other people’s It’s such a big inspiration to see my peers making work. What’s your motivation? Representation. I mentioned that I won’t—and my agent knows this—accept work if the main character is not either Hispanic or queer or both. My motivation [also] is, ‘Is it fun?’ and ‘Does it fulfill my goal of wanting to tell stories that make people feel seen?’

What is it like being a Latine artist in Chicago? How has it shaped you as an individual? Honestly, it’s pretty great. Chicago is a super diverse city. It’s very liberal too, which gives me and a lot of other queer people and minorities freedom and a lot of opportunities, especially since I am originally from Florida—a not so liberal place. It’s great to live in a city where my friends can go to places like Zine Mercado which is for Latinx artists. There’s always space for more representation, but compared to other spaces it has been great. It’s really shaped me and I’ve met a lot of amazing people. How do you make your art accessible to an audience? I post most of my art. I can’t post my graphic novel that has to be released as a book. I table occasionally [at festivals and conventions.] If an opportunity is offered to me that doesn’t pay me money but I like it, I’ll do it. I’ve done a cover and an inside image for South Side Weekly. What is missing from the art world and how does that fill that space or gap? More representation. I’d like to think that my art fills a space for older queer people and older Latinx people who want stories to connect to that aren’t very basic. What challenges do you face? I have so many. People don’t usually want to publish queer stories. Thankfully, it’s more widely accepted than when we were children, but even now, it’s kind of hard to sell them. It’s the same thing with Latinx stories, especially when you mush them both together. When I am pitching a graphic novel that I want to write myself, people have to buy the idea. So, I put this whole project together that involves character drawings, an overview of the story,

a summary, a couple of pages. People don’t want to buy that idea because they don’t think it’s gonna sell. Thankfully, I do see a change and I think it’s getting better and better. There’s still a long way to go. What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American background? I think it’s cool. I don’t have any problem with it as somebody who is non binary. I’m always down for terms that make people feel included. People have every right to choose what they want. There’s a lot of discourse online about labels that people are allowed to use, not just in the Latinx, but in the queer community too. So, if you want to use Latinx—use Latinx. If you want to use Latine—use Latine. Both are super valid and important. It just depends on what you want to use because not all Latinx people speak Spanish, so maybe Latinx makes more sense to them because they do use the X in the English language. Who is your target audience? How do you want it to be received? People like me who are Queer, Latinx or Latina. But honestly, anybody who can feel seen by the same kind of stories of being an outsider. Also for people who aren’t minorities but by seeing this art, it can make them understand even just a snippet of the life of minorities like me. I love being Queer and Latinx and fat and writing about those characters! People aren’t their oppression like you said, and sometimes people want to see a queer fat Latine do magic. How do you build your platform as an artist? Do you use social media? I did use social media more in college than now because it is a free way to spread your art. I’m lucky enough that I have an agent so I don’t need to spread my work for money that way. —Design by Jorden Smith Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 27

What inspired you to become an artist? As a little kid, I always looked up to artists. It was always like a superhero or magic. When I was a little kid, I thought ‘Oh, is that magic?’ You know? I was like how is that possible? How did people just create that, just using their hands and their minds? It is something I always looked up to. I know it’s different, I did not want to become like an office worker, no offense to office workers, but it is something I love doing and I’ve always loved doing. The inspiration was always there.

SANDRA DE LA TORRE

ierre Lucero, 29, grew up thinking that art was a form of magic. Lucero is an Aurorabased muralist where his art is displayed in many neighborhoods. His parents are both from Mexico, but he was born in Aurora. He describes himself as a Mexican American artist and says Mexico’s rich culture defines his personality and his artwork.

When did you realize you wanted to be an artist? At an early age, maybe when I was 5, but seriously considered it after high school. I would say I seriously wanted to be an artist when I was like 19 or 20. What medium do you work in? I work with acrylic paints, but I am flexible. I am able to work with anything such as spray paint, graphite, watercolors and inks. If I had to choose one, it would be a tie between spray paint and acrylic painting. How do you describe yourself and your culture? I can be shy sometimes. I am a little outgoing and I reflect myself in my artwork. I can be a little out there, but sometimes I can be weird but in a good way. I’d say I am unique and original. As for my culture, it’s about being Mexican. My culture is very enriched with cultural traditions with food and music. We have a lot of origi28 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

PIERRE LUCERO | THE MURALIST

LET YOUR INSPIRATION INSPIRE OTHERS, ONE MURALAT A

nality with that. That ties in with me and my originality and where my personality stems from. How has your identity as a Latino influenced your art and passions? In the last four years or so I started adding more cultural symbols from Mexico into my artwork. I find that it gets well processed by audiences. It started off as a commission, when someone wanted me to do more Mexican-themed art, like this mural (pictured above). Doing more Mexican-themed objects

TIME

For painter Pierre Lucero, open public spaces are the city canvas INTERVIEW BY SANDRA DE LA TORRE DESIGN BY CELIA KNOX

and symbols inside my artwork reflects who I am as a person, and it creates lot of positive feedback. How has your family influenced what you do? They’ve given me a lot of support. None of my family except my brother really does artwork. So, it’s hard being the first person in my family to go out and just do art on my own without any real help. They’ve always been there as my support system. What’s your inspiration or motivation?

see more culture and diversity in public art. Personally, I feel like it’s like a booming time for Latino artists like me. I think it’s going to continue to keep working out well.

Comprised of significant symbols from 21 Latin American countries and meant to connect viewers with their Latinx roots, Pierre Lucero sits in front of his mural at the Latino Resource Center at Waubonsee Community College in Aurora, Ill.

To influence people, I think that’s been my day one. I, myself love being influenced. I’ve always thought if I can influence one person, I will achieve my goal. If I influence one person that could cause a ripple effect and influence hundreds of thousands of artists. I’ve surprised myself with how far I’ve progressed since I started. So, I feel like I’m on the right path. I’m doing a decent job achieving what I set out to do. I’m inspiring people, not even just creatively; if someone wanted to become an artist, the work ethic that comes with it, just apply that with whatever you do in life. If you wish to become an office worker, just make sure you do your best to become an office worker. What is it like being a Latinx artist in Chicago, and how has it shaped you as an individual? It’s been great. I mean, a lot of diversity here [Aurora] is Latina and Latino, so it’s worked out well for me. There’s also demand in the market that has been increasing. People want to

How do you make your art accessible to an audience? I use public spaces like outdoor murals; they’re accessible to anyone. Public spaces also bring in revenue to the city. It’s free aside from paying the commission for the artists. Anything that’s personal is reasonably priced. What is missing from the art world and what does your art provide? Nowadays there are a lot of things that are missing. More than ever is being original. I feel like a lot of people like copy paste artists. If you’re going to paint a flower, paint it different, make it yours. If you’re going to be a portrait artist, again, make it different. Add a pink hat to every portrait. I feel like my art does that. My art gives people an outlet to be creative and shows that you can be a creative and do whatever you want and make a career out of it. How does it fill that space or gap? Originality, because again, a lot of people try too hard to be someone else. Originality has always been key to me. What are the challenges that you face? I’ve been doing pretty good locally, but I want to move on to

It’s hard being the first person in my family to go out and just do art on my own without any real help. cities around the world. It’s baby steps, but I’ve been progressing from the local scene, and now I’m trying to branch out to the neighboring cities. Eventually I want to move to neighboring states, and even further across the country, and then neighboring countries, and eventually just do murals around the world. That’s one of my dreams, traveling as an artist doing murals all over the world. So, I feel like I’m on the right path and just little by little. What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American or Spanish background? I know that a lot of Latinos don’t like the word because it’s an American made-up word. I know it’s supposed to signify both Latina and Latinos. I have no problem with it, maybe because I’m a Mexican American, I didn’t grow up in Mexico. I don’t really have that passion to have hatred toward the word. But I’m okay with it, it doesn’t bother me so much. I’m not stressed out about it. Who is your target audience? How do you want it to be received? Everyone. I’d like to have the whole Latino community behind me, and I feel

Print made of 40+ originals Lucero has created in the past three years with Tonatiuh in the center, like a modern Aztec calendar.

like I am on that path. Again, my art is a little bit of everything. I want a little bit of everyone to be influenced. I’d want to branch out outside of Latino artwork and have a little bit of everything for everyone. I want it to be perceived as welcoming. I want people’s minds to ignite and inspire people to do what they want to do. Be unique, original, and just making their own art. Be yourself. How do you build your platform as an artist? There’s no set path for being an artist. There’s no like, you need to do this and this and this. I often get people asking me, ‘How are you getting those commissions, you know, or mural commissions?’ Luckily for me, 90 percent of the murals I’ve gotten are because people reached out to me. It’s hard. The best advice is to create work every day. Put yourself out there. Make yourself available. Sometimes you might have to do a commission you don’t want to do but hate to say it, like a lot of people say they’ll pay you an exposure, and sometimes you got to take that. In the initial stages of your career, you’re going to have to pay your dues to open a door of opportunities. From there, you can slowly start making the profit you want to make. Do you use social media? For artists today, social media is helpful. I know back then in the early 2000s and ‘90s and anything before that, putting yourself out there was always in the hands of someone else in the media. So, it’s extremely helpful as an artist to be able to control what you want to put out for people to see. I use social media, it’s a balance. You don’t want to be on there too often or have it take away too much from being an artist. Social media is key in this day and age.

COURTESY PIERRE LUCERO

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ALBER TO ABREU | THE GUITARIST PHOTOS BY BRAYDEN FIELDS

Alberto Abreu started writing music when he was a kid, and that passion has only grown, now into his new band “Witches Rave.”

INTERVIEW BY ZAY RAMÍREZ ||| DESIGN BY RUTH JOHNSON

orn to a Dominican father and Ecuadorian mother, Alberto Abreu picked up the guitar and started writing songs in middle school. Abreu performed with many bands before he decided to pursue music and moved to Chicago. Now 21 and living in the South Loop, Abreu continues to grow his audience in music through his current band, Witch’s Rave. ‘The goal of the band is to make incredible music and create a community of authentic people,’ explains Abreu. What inspired you to become an artist? I’ve always liked performing, since I was little. I always wrote songs when I was a little kid. I just had a knack for expressing myself. Once I hit middle school, I really got into a band, The Strokes. I thought to myself, ‘That’s what I want to do with my life.’ I’ve been

serious about it since then. When did you start making the commitment to become an artist? In eighth grade, my friend Dimitri started playing guitar and he brought it around my house. I was like, ‘Dude that’s so cool.’ My friend Grayson was there and said, ‘Hey, I have

an extra guitar, I don’t use it anymore, do you want it?’ Since I picked up that guitar, I was completely obsessed with it and I think since then, I really haven’t strayed from that. How would you define your music? I really like rock music mostly, so that’s a big focus, and alternative. I like things to sound moody. Who are some of your top influences? The Strokes, obviously, are one. I love The Doors, and maybe Jeff Buckley and Radiohead. Being half Dominican and half Ecuadorian, how would

you describe your culture? I guess it’s definitely a mix of both, depending on which side of the family I’m hanging with. Also, growing up here, I’ve gotten a lot of the western culture in me. So, it’s a nice mix, and I’m grateful to have both of those perspectives. How has your identity as a Latino influenced your passion for music? Well, part of it is just the influences that I draw from. I grew up listening to a bunch of Latin music, so a lot of my favorite artists sing in Spanish and play Latin-based music. My favorite guitarist is Santana. Because I grew up in the states, sometimes I feel

, S S E N RAW Y T I C I T N AUTHE AND

l l o r ’ n ’ k c o r

his chords. s re a h s u re b es, Alberto A k o tr S e th to From Santana 30 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

separated from the Latin side of me, so getting into music is kind of a good way to dive back into those roots. In what ways does your Latin influence come out in your work? I guess up until now I haven’t really done it purposefully. I haven’t tried to put a ‘Latin spin’ on any of my music, but I think that a lot of the melodies and just the chord progressions that I use have a little bit of that flare because my ear tends to go to that familiar place.

Does your family have any influence on what you do? They’ve been super supportive. My grandpa is the one that basically got me started with most of my equipment. My mom has always been super supportive of me. I can’t complain. What drives you to continue your work as a musician? It’s a lot of things. Honestly, I’m very sensitive so it’s nice to have that outlet because I love to express my emotions. I feel like I’m an open book and music is a great way to put it all out there. I just love it. I love to sing all the time. I love music, so it’s pretty easy. It just happens naturally.

What is it like being a Latino artist in Chicago, and how do you think it has shaped you as an individual? I guess I’ve never really thought too much about how specifically being Latino in Chicago has shaped me. I see art as a very individualistic thing and I think being Latino is just a part of my identity, not the whole sum of it. How do you make your art accessible to an audience? My only thing with people that I want to listen to my music is that I will accept anybody, no matter what they like, as long as they’re not assholes. That’s about it. What do you think is missing from the music world that your music provides? I think the rawness of it, the straight forwardness of the way I perform, and also I feel like I bring a lot of charisma to performing. I feel like that’s been lacking for a long time out of artists and bands. I’m really good at being authentic, and I think that will come across in the music. What are the challenges that you face as a musician? Myself. I’m super lazy. It’s easy for me to get trapped, not do anything, and it’s hard for me to build up good habits. I’ve been trying to teach myself to be more disciplined, and that’s been my main concern. Just using my potential. What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American or Spanish background? I don’t like it. I understand the reasoning behind it, to be more inclusive, but I don’t feel that it’s needed in a language that is completely gendered. That’s half of what makes

the language itself beautiful. Also, because our language is gendered, it takes away the whole value of a word. I think it’s more America and western culture that are pushing it. I think a lot of the Latinos that are pushing it are being influenced by western culture because of the internet and social media. I don’t think the movement would have happened if it weren’t for America and western cultures that are super progressive. Who is your target audience? How do you want it to be received? I feel like in today’s culture, especially for the youth in our society, people don’t really engage in open dialogue with each other. It’s become a bad thing to agree to disagree, it’s not really done anymore. People can’t disagree with each other and still be friends. But people are afraid to speak up over things that they may not agree with and be honestly genuine. I want my audience to be those people that feel that way and who want to be authentic. That’s what I’m pushing: Just be yourself, think for yourself, be authentic. I want those same values to be reflected in my audience. How do you build your platform as an artist? Do you use social media? I’d say, when I was back home and I was in a band for a while, I was just telling people about the band and playing shows. Just playing good live. There’s no cheating that. If you’re good live, then you’re just good and people are gonna like it. Nowadays I do want to focus on social media, but at the same time focus on really putting my personality out there and showing people who I am.

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 31

photographer who focuses on self-portraits, Anahí Velázquez Torres, 24, is a Mexican American artist who currently lives in Cicero. She attended Saint Xavier University where she majored in studio art and minored in graphic design. Through her imagery, she speaks out to cope with her experiences: ‘A lot of art is based off my trauma or problems that I’ve had to face in life.’ What inspired you to become an artist? Honestly, I never really thought of myself becoming an artist. I think growing up I just saw my mom take photos of everything. At a certain age, she gave me a camera and that inspired me to take pictures of everything. From there I ended up taking a class in high school and I started doing more conceptual work taking it more seriously. From there on, I was like, ‘This is what I want to do.’ That’s kind of what led me to where I’m at now. I started doing it more artistically and pushing myself to be better. What medium do you mainly work in? Photography for the most part. I’ve been doing it for years. So, I’m the most comfortable with it. I do a lot of self-portraits. I like to model, and I put myself in scenarios where I have to pose a certain way or get in a certain headspace. I also draw and paint, but I wouldn’t consider myself an illustrator. My main thing is photography. What do you aim to showcase in your art? I like to depict my experiences with life. A lot of art is based off 32 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

my trauma or problems that I’ve had to face in life. That’s what I aim to show in my art. It’s like a medium for me to speak out about what I’ve been through. And it’s nice if people relate to it, and if not, it’s just mainly for me to cope. How would you describe yourself and your culture? I feel like I’m in the middle. Sometimes I don’t feel Mexican and sometimes I don’t even feel American. It’s like limbo/ middle ground. I do love my culture, don’t get me wrong. I think I enjoy that aspect a lot more, especially now that I’m older. But sometimes it’s weird.

it’s hard to make them proud. But deep down, that’s always going to be the motivation. To make them proud and happy to have me as their daughter. Also, art in general inspires me. Sometimes seeing art inspires me to make my own art. What is it like being a Latinx artist in Chicago? How has it shaped you as an individual? In a sense, it’s kind of different. I have different things to contribute to the art scene. That part is cool. I think it’s really important for Latinx and people of color to speak out about their experiences. Especially in the art world because it’s exclusive sometimes. That’s important and that shapes me to speak out more about what I see or what I feel.

Mexican American photographer channels her creativity through constructed images [ BY BEATRIZ DEL MURO ]

What’s missing from the art world is more perspectives from Latinx and people of color. How has your identity as a Latina influenced your art and passions? Quite a bit. I’ve done work where it’s about my experience as a woman. Being from Mexican culture, your upbringing is kind of different. I did a series on what it means to be a woman to me. And a lot of it was kind of coming to terms with a lot of the things that we’re told growing up as women like, ‘Calladita te ves más bonita’(You look prettier when you don’t speak,) and ‘Piernas cerradas’ (Closed legs.) I even used my mom’s hands to close my legs on the selfportrait. It was interesting because you grew up hearing that constantly and I feel if I were just American, I wouldn’t have heard that phrase as much. What is your inspiration or motivation? I would say my parents. I feel

Photos courtesy ANAHÍ VELÁZQUEZ

ANAHÍ VELÁZQUEZ | THE PORTRAITIST

Anahí Velázquez covering an event at the Saint Xavier University Visual Arts Center.

How do you make your art accessible to an audience? I mainly use social media — that’s one of my biggest tools. I do occasionally have shows, and I like to have them open to the public. That’s the main way that I go about it. I’ve been on a couple of group shows at a woman-made gallery in Pilsen. I also showcase a lot of work at my school, St. Xavier University. Right now, I have a residency going on in Agitator Gallery in Logan Square. The fun part about that is that I’m curating a group show. I get to pick people and it’s a bunch of my friends.

PERSONAL STRUGGLES GET FULL EXPOSURE Courtesy SAINT XAVIER UNIVERSITY VISUAL ARTS CENTER

What do you think is missing from the art world and what does your art provide? How does it fit that space or gap? What’s missing from the art world is more perspectives from Latinx and people of color. I think for the longest time it’s just been European or white people. With modern art you see that a lot more and there’s a little bit more diversity. I think that’s what’s missing, and we just need to keep pushing in everything. Anything art related we should shine and be heard. That’s part of how I feel, especially with that one series I did—what it’s like growing up as a woman. What are the challenges that you face? Sometimes motivation. Also, just balancing out everything. I can’t live off my art yet. So, I have to balance out having a way to survive and do art at the same time. I think that’s the biggest struggle. I currently work in retail.

LEFT Subject is being silenced as representation of the saying in

Spanish, Calladita te ves más bonita (You look prettier when you don’t speak.) ABOVE Piernas cerradas (Closed legs) interprets the concept that a ‘decent’ woman should keep her legs together.

What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American or Spanish backgrounds? It’s not a term that I use to identify myself. I know people

use it, I think I’m open to it, but it’s not something that I’ve regularly used myself. I identify as mestiza—a mix of Spanish and indigenous. What do you think about people who’ve said ‘Latinx’ is hard to pronounce in Spanish and they prefer Latine? I see where they were coming from. I think they just wanted it to be more inclusive. But it is hard, because you’re brought up learning “Latina” or “Latino.” It’s very gender specific. Maybe if you grew up just hearing that term, it’ll be easier to consume. It’s just something that you have to kind of train yourself. Who is your target audience? How do you want your art to be received? My audience is kind of broad. I don’t know if I have like a specific one that cater to or think about. I think I just make it for myself. And then if people relate to it, that’s cool. I mainly just do it for me to come to terms with things. How do you build your platform as an artist? Do you use social media? Yes, a lot. I think I mainly have used Instagram. I’ve thought about using TikTok just because a lot of people are out there. I have a TikTok, but I use it just for fun. If I do ever go that route, I’d want something separate. That’s what I did with my Instagram for my art. I have two different accounts. I noticed when people followed me, on my main account, they just wanted to see pictures of me. And when I would post my art, I wouldn’t get as much attention or reaction. That’s why I like to keep it separate because then I have a following for my art on its own. And the people that follow that account do care, they are interested. — Design by Gibelle Montesdeoca

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 33

From Colombia to the Bronx to Columbia, Ángel Morillas establishes his tattoo studio in Pilsen

BY DANNY RANGEL

¿Cómo te identificas? Latino claro, porque nací en Colombia. Toda mi cultura es muy latina. Pero vine aquí a los cuatro años así que claro soy muy americano también. I grew up en New York, en Queens, de cuatro a 18 años, y me dieron beca para venir a estudiar a Columbia. Tuve mucha suerte. Yo me crié muy pobre y no podía pagar por las cosas, así que la mamá de una amiga firmó mi primer loan para ir a la universidad. Cuéntame de tus estudios en Columbia College. Vine aquí en el 2010. Los primeros dos años estudié arquitectura de interiores. Me gustaba mucho pero tuve un desacuerdo con el director. Le dije que no estábamos aprendiendo las cosas que nos servirían para ser profesionales y él me dijo que quizá yo no estaba [preparado] para ser de ese field, 34 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

Morillas working with a client at Black Atlas Studios, his tattoo shop in Pilsen.

Photo DANNY RANGEL

hen Ángel Morillas, 30, was 4 years old, his family moved from Colombia to New York. At 18 he moved to Chicago when he was given the opportunity to go to college. He was in a Columbia College Chicago dorm tattooing his own leg when he figured out he wanted to be a tattoo artist for a living. ‘Yo quiero que este lugar siga siendo latino. Ser el dueño de este lugar para que in the community éste sea un statement, that they know nobody can take it away,’ said Morillas about the Latinx presence in Pilsen which is suffering from gentrification and where he owns his tattoo shop.

ÁNGEL MORILLAS | THE SKIN AR TIST

SKIN DEEP TATTOOING AS AN ENERGY EXCHANGE

y me fui. Hice un semestre de graphic design y tuve que tomar una clase de fotografía. Por primera vez en mi vida un man me dice, ‘Haga este assignment y váyase afuera’. Yo toda mi vida hice mi arte en un estudio y pensé, ‘Man, puedo salir y vivir mi vida’. Fue increíble. I fell in love with photography. ¿Cómo comenzaste con el arte de los tatuajes? A los 18 en un tattoo shop en el Bronx, pero los dueños no me enseñaron nada. Hice un

verano ahí pero solo me ponían a limpiar. Estaba en Amazon viendo un paquete de tattoos que costaba unos $200, $250 y dije ‘Fuck, man, qué voy a hacer? ¿Lo voy a comprar? Tengo $500 para ir a Chicago y no creo que sea buena idea que la mitad de mi dinero se vaya en una máquina que no sabía ni usar.’ Y la compré. Yo solo me enseñé a tatuar. ¿Cuál fue el primer tatuaje que hiciste? Me lo hice en la pierna, era

un skeleton de dinosaurio. Lo hice en el dorm room donde vivía en Chicago. Ahí estuve con mis roommates and I was determined to figure this art out. La idea de hacerlo me llamaba mucho [la atención]. Y los dorms eran el environment perfecto para eso. ¿Ya tenías experiencia dibujando? ¿Dibujando? Toda mi vida. Fui a una highschool que era toda de artes. I was very fortunate. Durante los cuatro años de

high school, todos los días dibujaba y pintaba. Nunca en mi vida creí que iba a ser artista, a professional artist porque you know, mis padres son old school latinos, para decirle a esos manes, ‘Quiero hacer arte’ y ellos respondían: ‘Tienes que ser doctor, abogado, algo así. ¿Qué? ¿Vamos a venir a Estados Unidos a sacrificar nuestra vida para que hagas arte?’ ¿Qué dijo tu familia sobre tu trabajo? Yo no le dije nada por los primeros cuatro años. Ellos ni sabían que estaba aquí. Yo tenía mucho miedo porque de pequeñito ellos me dijeron: ‘Si se hace un tattoo ni regrese a la casa’. Para ellos los tatuajes eran sólo para los gangueros; entonces era muy difícil para mí decirles que eso era lo que quería hacer. ¿Cómo se enteraron? Mi hermana les dijo. Ella ni sabía que era un secreto. Yo ponía las fotos de los tatuajes en Facebook. Ella los vio y llamó a mi mamá para preguntarle si había visto lo que [hacía]. Se enojó mucho. Yo le dije: ‘Al menos mira el trabajo para que sepas qué es lo que estoy haciendo’, y luego dijo, ‘Uy qué nice, este también está nice’. She changed her mind. Para mí es una cosa muy increíble porque cuando ella habla de los tatuajes dice: ‘Mi hijo es artista’. Cambiar la mente de una mujer que toda la vida creyó que los tatuajes eran algo feo o malo es una cosa muy bonita.

Courtesy ÁNGEL MORILLAS

Depending on the colors and the complexity of the design, tattoos take anywhere from one to eight sessions.

¿Cuánto tiempo tienes trabajando para ti mismo? Solo en mi negocio, seis años. Por muchos años quería mi estudio. Si estás aquí sabes que en Pilsen hay gentrification. Yo en mi mente dije: ‘Okay, yo quiero irme para allá porque yo quiero que este lugar siga [siendo] latino. Ser el dueño de este lugar para que in the community, this is a statement that they know nobody can take it away’. Planeé esto por casi dos años y lo compré en octubre del año pasado, y por cinco meses hice el diseño del interior.

Ya que estamos hablando de la cultura, ¿de alguna manera se ve reflejada en tu arte? En mi arte de tatuajes no, pero en los de mi cuerpo sí. Tengo tatuajes que son del Inca Empire, Aztec Empire, calaveras de Colombia. Pero de mi arte como los tatuajes son más una colaboración. Sería difícil hacer cosas que hablan de mí porque la gente que quiere el arte, it has to speak to them. I am more the facilitator of that art. Yo les digo que es lo que sé con mis años de experiencia, and what might work and I know how my style shines. Yo tengo un style very precise, very colorful, very smooth.

El arte es un intercambio de energía, ¿no? Yo estoy haciendo algo de mis manos para alguien más y esa energía se queda en el arte. Fuera del trabajo, ¿haces algún otro tipo de arte? Me gusta pintar y todavía hago fotografía, pero eso es algo más personal. Me gusta mucho viajar. He viajado a muchos lugares y cuando lo hago me tomo unos días para tomar fotos. Hago street photography y hablo con la gente. A veces le pago a la gente para que hablen conmigo. ¿Cuál fue el momento cuando te diste cuenta de que querías hacer [tatuajes]? My first tattoo. Es como un ritual, una cosa especial porque este tipo de arte es muy diferente a hacer una pintura. Tattooing is a process that requires both the artist and the receiver to be in the same space at the same time. They watch the art happen. Es una cosa que you gotta earn. No importa el amount that you pay, you still have to sit through it. Además, el arte es un intercambio de energía, ¿no? Porque yo estoy haciendo algo con mis manos

para alguien más, y esa energía se queda en el arte. El cliente siempre va a recordar cómo se sintió en ese momento y como lo traté. Yo quiero darle energía buena y positiva. ¿Crees que haya algo que falte en el mundo del arte, específicamente a los tatuadores? Sí, siempre va a haber gente que lo hace por el dinero o porque quieren que el Insta (Instagram) los haga famosos. It fills the ego, y al mismo tiempo hay gente que entiende que es un ritual. Me gustaría que más gente vea esa idea, de que hay un ritual. La vida que tenemos nosotros como humanos es muy unnatural, we lose spirituality, y no hablo de ir a la iglesia sino de tener una idea de una fuerza más grande de nosotros y que nos habla a través del arte. We take that from granted. Hay tattoo artists que solo vienen y hablan mierda de sus clientes; to me that’s fucked up because éste es el mejor trabajo del mundo. Es una forma de vida. ¿Cuál es tu plan o meta a futuro? Siempre tengo en mente lo que quiero hacer. Si no piensas en algo que hacer es como estar muerto. Quiero hacer art shows o art galleries, quiero que este lugar sea un lugar that helps facilitate art, que sea un espacio where people can be creative. I’ve got a lot of fortune in my life y yo lo quiero pagar como pueda. ¿Hay algo más que te gustaría compartir? Me gustaría take a step back from tattooing porque el arte que yo hago, siempre es para otra gente. Tattooing is a giving art, siempre das. At one point I want to stop giving and see what I can find, so I can give again in a way that is more genuine to me. Me gustaría encontrar más de mi voz. Que si alguien ve mi arte en la calle diga: ‘Ah, esto lo hizo Ángel,’ pero hacerlo con el least amount de ego possible.

Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 35

For Abel Arciniega, all his art is Latino driven /// BY JUSTIN CONTRERAS \\\

bel Arciniega, 47, began as an artist by repainting his toy cars with his mom’s nail polish. He grew up admiring the beautiful graffiti art in his neighborhood in the 1980s and decided to try it himself. Both his parents moved to the United States from Mexico; Arciniega was born here. He graduated from Columbia College Chicago and started as a graphic designer at Hoy, a newspaper in Spanish published by the Chicago Tribune. He is now a fulltime photographer in Portage Park, mainly dealing with sports, but he’s also a painter and illustrator. Tequila Creative Studio is his photography company. What inspired you to become an artist? Graffiti and hip hop kind of took off in the mid ‘70s, but by the ‘80s, graffiti had become this big phenomenon and I just loved the colors and everything. So, I would sketch out little characters. As I got older, I started actually painting, doing walls, some legal, some illegal, but that’s what got me into art. The graffiti from the ‘80s is what

really got me into it like, ‘This is what I want to do. I want to do something like this with art.’ When did you realize you wanted to be an artist? I remember, I would use my mom’s nail polish remover to remove the color off of my little Matchbox cars. And then I would take her nail polish and repaint them myself with my own color schemes. Back then there were no electronics, so I would just paint cars and anything I could get my hands on where I could take the paint off and repaint it myself. What medium do you mainly work in? Right now, photography, but when I do fine art, I use oil paints or pencil. Acrylic dries too quickly. For me, I like to come back maybe a day later and see something different and keep moving from there. It is so

Arciniega collaboration with the Chicago Bulls

relaxing when you’re just in the zone painting. How would you describe yourself and your culture? Everything to me is Latino driven. There’s just so much culture because I’m Mexican. I really fell in love with the Aztec and Maya [imagery] and I use [it] in my illustrations. I do a lot with those cultures in mind. My paintings, not so much. But when I got into graphic design, I started messing with Aztec and Maya elements, and then transitioned back to my original paint. Photography is something different because for the most part, I get commissioned, I get hired by corporations that do a lot of sports. So, there’s no real creative outlet to it, in a sense, because I’m doing a job for a client.

can take things from everything, from cooking, from the music. It is such a beautiful culture, that whenever I do something, it just by default, goes back to the roots of my Mexican ancestors. How has your family influenced what you do? My parents came from Mexico, so they still speak only Spanish, but just the smell of the tamales during Christmas, and all those small things that you take. When I went out into the world, I’ve always had my parents and my culture in my heart. And I made it known, ‘I’m Mexican American, I’m Mexican

How has your identity as a Latino/Latinx influenced your art and passions? Whenever I start something, I know that it’s going to incorporate something with Mexican culture, always has, always will. It has a rich history, and you

ABEL ARCINIEGA | THE SPOR TS PHOTOGRAPHER

FROM PENCILS, OIL PAINT AND DIGITAL ART TO ACTION PHOTOGRAPHY 36 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

Arciniega’s photography portfolio ranges from sports to politics to entertainment. Photos courtesy ABEL ARCINIEGA

American, I’m Mexican American’ because that’s where my heart is. I’ve always identified as Latino first and foremost, and I take that everywhere I go with me into the world and into my job today. Family and culture are super important to me. What is your motivation? My kids. I graduated from Columbia College with my bachelor’s degree. I’m hoping that they get their bachelor’s and then they go further. I’m very open with them about how hard it is to make a living as an artist, as a Latino artist. My advice has always been to sell yourself as the best because no one else will. My kids make sure they know the importance of being Latino. Never stepping down from something that they could be just because, ‘I don’t see a lot of Latinos in that business.’ I mean, look at Guillermo del Toro. That guy is amazing. And he’s a very open, proud Latino. Whenever he gives acceptance speeches, it’s always ‘Latinos, Latinos.’ I think it’s so important to be proud of your roots. What is it like being a Latinx artist in Chicago? How has it shaped you as an individual? It’s a great community. There are so many Latino/Latinx artists out there doing big things and, crazy enough, they’re very supportive. I think that just comes from la cultura latina. And I’m still learning, I don’t know everything. When I do graphic design, I reach out to other artists. I surround

Being an artist and being a business person are completely different things… What’s the point of having awesome art and it’s not accessible to anyone? myself with a lot of Latino artists. Chicago has a huge Latino artists community. It’s a big, big circle of Latino artists and everyone’s very helpful with each other, man. We’ve made a name for ourselves in Chicago, and Chicago knows that. How do you make your art accessible to an audience? On my Instagram page, on Facebook. Like I just designed this hat for the Bulls and I’m going to do a raffle for Cinco de Mayo. So, I’m just gonna kind of make it more accessible. I think social media has really opened up different avenues for artists. It’s a beautiful thing, if you use it correctly. I follow a lot of artists from across the country, even the world, who do beautiful artwork that is just so accessible with Instagram. I’ve even commissioned a few Latino artists that I really liked to do stuff for us at the house, because I love collecting original art, so I have a nice collection at home. What is missing from the art world? And what does your art provide? I think accessibility. I do work with a non-profit organization that gets artists into corporate spaces. There’s a big gap between corporations and artists. If you look at a lot of these

downtown buildings, they’re just dry plain walls. There is a space for someone who can find artists and expose them to these spaces, which could make artists good money and more accessible to everyone. Being an artist and being a businessperson are completely different things. I know really good photographers, but they can’t make a living off of it because of the customer service side of things. What’s the point of having awesome art and it’s not accessible to anyone? You can slap it on Instagram, which will get you some followers, but you want to make a living off of this. You want to get it to these corporate spaces that have the budgets set aside. We need more business-driven artists. What challenges do you face? In my earlier days, it was more being Latino in these corporate spaces, I didn’t see many Latinos. But once I think I got my foot in the door, it goes back to being a good human being, and providing great customer service. A lot of these places call back because of your great work. That customer service; they really take that into account. Since then, it’s been great. I don’t really face many problems getting jobs at this point. At the beginning, I think I had to step back and consider the way I approach it. If I show up to a job, I used to wear a hat. It’s just simple things like that. Like, let’s clean up a bit. Because, yeah, you’re an artist, you’re just like, ‘Whatever, let’s go.’ But all those little things really count. What do you think of the term Latinx to identify people of Latin American or Spanish background?

I’m old school, to me, it’s always been Latino, I never really thought about it until someone broke it down to me. I really appreciate the fact that these younger Latinos are talking about what makes them comfortable with the way they want to be identified. I don’t see anything wrong with it at all. If someone tells me, ‘I’d rather be called this or that,’ I completely respect that, and I respect the whole movement. I really think more than anything, it’s badass that they’re stepping up to what they believe and trying to be heard. Who is your target audience? How do you want your art to be received? My audience is anyone who loves art. Art should be for everyone. At some point in their life, I think everyone should grab paint and do art. It’s just so relaxing, relieving. I don’t really have a specific audience. I make art more than anything for myself and then the secondary part of that is who’s going to take it in. Everyone’s gonna see it differently, perceive it differently, and whoever loves it later on is just a super big bonus. To have someone love your art is awesome. How do you build your platform as an artist? Before, we would have to run around with physical portfolios, and someone would tell someone else. I think Instagram is my No. 1 vehicle to promote all my photography and my design work. I follow a lot of artists and now I’m starting to get a lot of artists following me back. I do have a website, but I don’t know. Websites are kind of ancient to me now. I’m 47. Most clients are like, ‘Do you have an Instagram?’ — Design by Chrissy Pearson Chicago LatinArtists | Wanderer 37

BY ISABELLA FLOWERS orbella Peña Aguilar, 43, is a Spanish teacher and dancer. The daughter of Mexican parents, Peña and her family moved to Michoacán, Mexico, when she was 5; six years later they moved back to the U.S. She spent the rest of her childhood on the North Side of Chicago. She currently lives in Wheeling and identifies as a Latina, Hispanic or Chicana. When did you start to dance professionally and when did you start Las Cartas de Frida? I started dancing professionally in my early 20s. I’ve always loved dancing even when we lived in Mexico. I’ve never taken courses; I just learn on my own. But it’s something that I feel like I have within me, like breathing. I had been [in the U.S.] for 11, 12 years when I started missing Mexico. It was just that absence, that hole in my heart, my culture, my background. I have a cousin who is a theater actress, Claudia Rentería. She introduced me to her group of friends and in that group [there] was Laura Crotte, an actress, musician, director, and producer [who] was putting together a play at the time. This huge group of artists taught me everything that I wanted to write about my culture, art, music. It was just like an awakening for me. I was part of the play and then I came across other musicians. We put together a band and performed for a long time. We did a little bit of traveling within our country and we taught workshops. And I love it. It’s been one of the best parts of my life. The idea for Las Cartas de Frida had been brewing for a long time, a project that my cousin and I always talked about. Maybe about six years ago, on Saturdays, the plan was to get together for breakfast. 38 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

La s C a r t a s d e F r i d a

ANONYMOUS

LETTERS COME TO LIFE ON STAGE NORBELLA AGUILAR | THE DANCE PERFORMER

We would be there for dinner. We had taken a break from performing. We missed it. We cried about it and we said: ‘It’s time to go back.’ But we weren’t sure what we wanted to do. We started talking about the lack of attention in women’s mental health. How we really do not have a space or the time given for us to say, ‘I’m having a bad day, I’m depressed, or I don’t feel good today.’ As women, we are so expected to just keep going, right? It’s either work, school, family, children, husbands. It’s nonstop. Then we started talking about our mothers and the details we noticed about [them.] We saw [mental health issues] growing up, but we were never able to identify or give it a name. We said: ‘What would be the easiest way for us to express how we’re feeling?’ We can’t say it because we’re afraid to be judged. ‘Well, writing, it’s free. It’s really right. You’re releasing. And that’s how it got started. I was introduced to Frida Kahlo by my cousin Claudia yet again. Frida was the first feminist in my life without me knowing that she was a feminist. Since then, she’s had a huge influence in my life in many ways. What is Las Cartas de Frida? We gather the letters from women and they are interpreted on stage, through music and

dance. These letters are anonymous. The topics of the letters vary. We mainly receive letters that deal with domestic violence, immigration, and mental health. What is the mission of Las Cartas de Frida? [It] is to provide women with a safe space for self-reflection and self-expression. I would love for all of us, not just artists, to ask women: ‘How are you today? How are you really feeling today?’ Because we’re always so fast to say: “I’m fine, I’m good.” But to really ask, how are you doing? and to provide a hug, because that always feels better. Just to remember that women feel that we carry so much inside. What inspired you to become a dancer and to start Las Cartas de Frida? Just the passion for my cul-

I’m very passionate, transparent, honest. But it took a long time to get to where I am, to express myself freely. I grew up in a very traditional machista household.

ture, for dancing. It was something that was kept in the little box for many years that I knew was in there, but I didn’t know how passionate I was about it and how powerful it was for me. I am now 43, but performing in my early twenties, even my early thirties were just so emotional for me, whether it was at a friend’s party or at the House of Blues. Just seeing people feel what I felt on stage made me want to cry. So, I’m a crier. There were so many times that I was on stage and I would think: ‘If I was to die tonight, I would die happy.’ How would you describe yourself? I’m very passionate, transparent, honest. But it took a long time to get to where I am, to express myself freely. I grew up in a very traditional machista household, where women are to cook and to stay home. Women do not play soccer. They don’t ride bikes, but the boys can go outside and play. I was very dissatisfied with the way I was growing up. I was always the rebel in the house. I went against what my traditional parents wanted for me. I moved out of the house when I was 19. I love my parents and they did the best for all of us but I wanted more. I knew that I had a lot to say. And if I stayed home, I would not be able to do it.

Domestic violence, immigration, and mental health issues become music and dance

Aguilar performing “Las cartas de Frida” at Guild Row Social Club in Chicago.

PHOTO BY KIKI QUINTANA

How would you describe your culture? My culture is beautiful. It’s colorful, it’s kind, it’s dreamy. I think of Mexico and I think of kind people smiling at you. But it’s very unjust, especially to women. There are aspects of the traditions that I love, but [others] that I don’t agree with, and I will not follow. Going back to the place that society thinks women should be in, I am very much against that. I will not follow those traditions. But there are aspects that I want to pass on to my daughter, to future generations, and to my students. How has your identity as a Latina influenced your art? I have a lot to say. I don’t consider myself an artist but a woman pursuing through art. I want Latinas and all women to have the freedom to express themselves, to not feel the strain, to say what they want and what they feel. That is my drive and my motivation.

How has your family influenced your art, if it has? Yes, in many ways. There were some rough patches in my childhood growing up, and as time goes by, I’m healing from it. It’s so nice to get together with my family and make a traditional Mexican dish. There’s music and there’s children running around. [My family is] there when I need them. I have a daughter. I want her to learn as much as I can from me and from her own experiences in life, about all cultures, to appreciate and love people and not just tolerate them. We respect people by learning about one another. My family’s a huge influence in my life and in an artistic way as well. What is the motivation or the purpose of your art? I would love for women to find their strengths, to see that they have influence within them. It’s hiding somewhere because society has told them that they can’t express what

they want. Women are not given the time or the space. It’s horrible. I saw my mom growing up and it’s hard to find the strength to say what you want. There is somebody else out there for them, willing to listen, willing to talk. How do you make your art accessible to an audience? With technology and social media, I try to be as active as possible. I also offer workshops where we get together with groups of women. We talk about aspects of freedom; about feedback. I encourage women to find what they love about themselves because we are so fast to say: ‘Oh, this is what I don’t like about me,’ whether it’s our personality or even physically. I try to put that aside and just think of what you love about yourself. That’s how we also get our letters that we use for the performance, through workshops, social media, just spreading the word. I also do storytelling for children, so when the parents

come, I tell them about Las Cartas de Frida. Who is your target audience and how do you want your art it to be received? Women and children. I want it to be received with respect, with an open mind. And just to give the time, the space to listen, because we have a lot to say. What is missing from the art world and what does your art provide? Representation of women. It’s getting better as time goes by. But we need more women to express themselves through all forms of art. It’s not that I want people or men to clap for what I’ve done. I do it for myself and for women. But what I do want is that they acknowledge talent in women. Women are strong. I see it. There’s lots of passion out there. —Design by Savanna Steele

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A Leather is another material where Rodríguez applies her talents.

FROM CANVAS, DIGITAL AND WEARABLE ART ON CLOTHING, ANAHÍ RODRÍGUEZ SHOWCASES HER MEXICAN AND CUBAN ROOTS | BY GUANA COLINET |

nahí Rodriguez, 26, is multi-faceted artist who works with paint on canvas, digital software and wearable art on clothing. She moved to the U.S. from Mexico when she was 4 years old and began making waves at the age of 11 when she petitioned her school to offer art classes. Later she studied at the Marwen Institute, an arts program for underrepresented youth. Her art focuses on inclusion and representation. What inspired you to become an artist? I think it was just love for the art. I loved being creative since I was little. When I was in Mexico, I still remember the artesanías that would be on the street … different forms of art: puppeteers … different figures that they make, different sculptures or paintings too. I remember seeing that growing up as I moved over here. The first place I lived at was Little Village, so I would see it a lot. Then going around the streets, I would see murals. I was like, ‘Who made that?’ I was always thinking, ‘That looks pretty cool.’ I always thought that because I was younger… ‘The building came with that.’ I just told myself, ‘I want to be able to do that one day I want to be able to use colors and do whatever I need to do.’ It all started from there. At what age do you feel you said, ‘I want to be serious about art?’ When I was about 11 or 12 in middle school. I

remember that we didn’t have any art classes. So, I made a petition for all the students to sign so that we [could get them.] After that, one of the teachers that was hired to do the art classes, gave me a brochure of this place called Marwen Institute. I started [attending] and venturing off from there. It’s an art institute for underrepresented students here in Chicago. It’s a nonprofit, I believe. It’s still there. How do you describe yourself and your culture? I have this mixed culture, right? Because there’s the whole being in America, my Mexican heritage, and my Mexican culture, then my dad’s side of the family, the Cuban culture. It’s very diverse and different. Even though I was born in Mexico, people would think, ‘Oh, you listen to Banda?’ But, growing up I think I’ve done more of the Cuban [things]. I listen to a lot of salsa and merengue. Music has a lot of influence on my paintings too. I’ll listen to that while I paint. But the way that I would describe it is, I guess, diverse. So, you would say that you relate to Cuban culture more than Mexican culture? Yeah, in terms of music and food. But when you grow up with those two, you kind of blend both and try to make them work. Overall, at home Spanish is my first language. Is there anywhere else that you feel being Mexican and Cuban shows up in your art? With some of my paintings I focused on the woman’s form.

‘There’s a story behind it all’ was painted on a canvas with acrylic paint.

Going around the streets, I would see murals… I just told myself, ‘I want to be able to do that one day.’ I started doing figure drawing when I was at the Marwen Institute. After that, I fell in love because I was thinking I want to be able to express myself, and how my body is… an expression of self-love toward my figure. I noticed that in a lot of Cuban art, Mexican art, they have figure drawings of women. Most of the time, they’re voluptuous. …When you dance, you move your hips, your butt. That’s what our music is centered around. What we eat too. I love being able to show that… showcase what it is to have the body that we have. With my other form of art that I do, showing my experience in coming to the U.S.—I’m showing the Mexican culture. How I left that behind because I haven’t been back. I show Aztec culture, like the Aztec calendar. I show artesanías in my work, [and] the colors artesanías use. Some of the things that you’ll see around in Mexico… there’s a lot of street vendors. I showed the type of clothes that we used. In this se-

Prêt~à~

ANAHÍ RODRÍGUEZ | THE MULTIMEDIA PAINTER

PHOTO BY GUANA COLINET

40 Wanderer | Chicago LatinArtists

Portrait of deceased rapper Juice WRLD, painted on the back of a jean jacket.

ries of art, I’m showing a lot of Mexican-Spanish culture. Do you have a working name for this? It might just be ‘Undocumented.’ Do you remember anything from the time when you moved to the United States? Oh, yeah. I’m working on a painting series of how I got here… Stages of a process of coming to the U.S. How do you feel about the term Latinx? Latinx? Yeah, I like it. Because it gives people a sense of being able to identify with being Latino. Because we have a lot of different ways to identify each other. There’re different pronouns, different ways of viewing each other. What is it like being a Latine artist in Chicago? How has it shaped you as an individual? After being in Little Village, I moved to Pilsen. Pilsen has a lot of Latinx artists who used to

do murals and things like that around the community. Now it’s been gentrified, so a lot of those artists have left. Now that I’m in this stage of my life where I can really network and get out there, I feel like it’s a little bit harder. Social media helps, but if we didn’t have social media, I think that as a Latina, I wouldn’t be able to venture out as much. Growing up, there was a little bit difficulty trying to get your art out there because there weren’t that many programs or people who [could] actually push you to be out there—get your work out. You feel like the community is almost getting lost in gentrification? Yeah, it definitely is. How do you make your art accessible to your audience? I know you use social media. Outside of my house, sometimes I’ll bring out my canvasses or my shoes. I live right in front of a park. So, I’ll just be there, and I’ll paint. People will come around because … there’s a lot of foot traffic and people were stopping [and] asking for my card or my information. So, I do physical work like that. Or I do different art shows. There’s a lot of people that come through, and then talk to me, they see my work and want to know more about [it.]

Rodríguez displays her artwork at Reggies Chicago during The Pancakes & Booze Art Show.

What’s missing from the art world that you are trying to provide, and how does what you provide fill that space? I think that now it’s getting better, and there’s more of this. But I think having a representation for kids, for students that are in high school, in middle school, high school, college, to be able to have access to art and resources is something that we lack in the art world. I know that there’s a lot of creative people that are younger, that will be shaping the art world later on. Having resources available to them would be a lot better. Because like how I said when I was growing up, in middle school we didn’t have art classes. I had to petition to get that. And I know that a lot of students are shy to do that. It’s hard to advocate for oneself. Being able to fund schools and

porter art ~

have more art programs, whether it’s visual arts or music, photography, or what have you, would be very beneficial. What are some challenges that you face when you’re creating your art, just trying to share your work? Time is something that I know a lot of us artists face as an issue because our craft takes a lot of time. Then, on top of that, you have to keep promoting the same thing over and over so it can be recognized by other people. Because otherwise it just will go unseen. I do most of my art just for myself and for pleasure, but I do want it to be for the people. Sometimes it’s just hard to be able to get that recognition. You have to really push yourself out there. That’s one of the hardest things to do. What’s your target audience? How do you want your art to be received? My target audience is everyone, really. But mostly for young adult and other adults. When I do my clothing, or my wearable art, my target for that is mainly fans of artists that are already established and artists themselves. —Design by Jude Ramírez

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Photos courtesy ANAHÍ RODRÍGUEZ

Rodríguez digitally painted ‘Our Secrets’ on Procreate.

Photos Courtesy CARLOS LERMA

Inspired by YouTube videos Carlos Lerma keeps developing his writing and directing skills

BY ISABELLA ANGELONI arlos Lerma, 18, was born and raised in Mexico. He was only 8 years old when he decided he wanted to go into the film industry. He made several short films about trips he took with his family, experimenting with basic techniques and using his Nintendo. “Since then I have liked snowballing into my career,” he says. After moving to Chicago in 2022, he began study-

Before college in Chicago, Lerma began making homestyle films in 2016.

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ing Film and Television at Columbia College Chicago. His short films are available on YouTube and his books are sold on Apple Books, Google Play and Barnes and Noble online. What specific part of film do you work on? I did some short films in Mexico where I was really a one-man show, especially during the pandemic, where I couldn’t work with anybody. But now I really just want to be a writer and director. I work with a lot of cool people who are now my friends— some do camera work and/or do editing. How do you describe yourself and your culture? I describe myself as a Mexican storyteller because that is me. And how it relates to my culture: I would say very truthful. Oh, and very personal, and I like to incorporate it a lot more now into my work. How has your identity as a Latino influenced your art? My identity as a Latino used to be all over my work before coming to the United States. And when I came here, it was something I tried to hide a little bit because I was afraid of racism. But, over the past few months, I’ve figured that I need to use my voice for all these important issues. And my work is actually very different than a lot of other people’s. So, recently, I made a short film that is like a love letter to Mexico and especially my mom. So yeah, it comes back again like being truthful. Like just truthful personal stories.

Carlos Lerma working as a DP with director 95 Goldie on a music video.

I describe myself as a Mexican storyteller because that is me. And how it relates to my culture: I would say very truthful. What would you say is your inspiration or motivation? What other artists inspire you? This is going to sound very cliche, but one of my favorite filmmakers is Guillermo Del Toro. Also, one of my favorite people who makes me want to be a professional person, I would say it’s my dad. He’s not an artist at all, but he’s a very hardworking person, also outside of his regular job.

What is it like being a Latino artist in Chicago and how has it shaped you? I love it. When I see other Latino people just make stuff and when I get to see it, I just cheer for them. Because I’ve had many Latino friends put on their films or music, or any other stuff. And I just post it everywhere I can. Yes, I just support them and they support me. They’re very, very friendly. How do you make your art accessible to an audience? I put all of my short films on YouTube. My books I try to make them as accessible as possible online. All my short films are available to watch for free but for my books there’s a paywall. What are some challenges that you have faced as a Latino filmmaker? Specifically, as an immigrant,

CARLOS LERMA | THE VIDEO STORYTELLER

BIG

DREAMS FROM TO MOVIE SCENES we cannot get actual 9 to 5 jobs easily, which is a very big challenge for me because I want to do all these things. If I want to get a cool internship, one of the first things they ask is, “Are you an immigrant? Or are you a U.S. citizen?” That deters me from actually applying to stuff. That is my biggest challenge. Who is your target audience? My target audience is usually just people from 17 to 29 years old, nonspecific to gender or nationality. I try to appeal to everyone. If I really had to narrow it down, it wouldn’t be targeted to that specific demographic. How do you build your platform as an artist? Do you use social media? “The Wright Choice”was an official selection for the 2023 the Lift-Off Global Network Film Festival.

I have built my social media since 2016. I started on YouTube, then moved to Instagram. On Youtube I post only my short films. I did start on YouTube back in 2016. Tell us a little bit about your short films or your books. My short films are really short stories that I write, and I just want to put them out. When I was in Mexico, I did short films that really had no big plot. They were just things that I did during my free time. But when I came here, I started doing actual narrative [films] with a beginning, middle and ending. And I started doing animation and adapting my short stories into actual films. So, I want to be able to showcase that I can direct every genre, including animation, so that’s why I try to do a little bit of everything. So, I can grow as an artist even more. —Design by Hailey Wilkins

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