Latinx Identities: Struggles, Perspectives, and Critiques

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This catalog is an accompaniment to the exhibit organized and presented by Unbound Visual Arts, Inc. Edited and produced by Unbound Visual Arts Exhibit Assistants: Sofia Garcia, Jace Light, Sophy Zhu Exhibit Coordinator: John Quatrale

UVA MISSION STATEMENT Unbound Visual Arts (UVA) is a unique Allston-Brighton (MA) based non-profit art organization. We serve the Greater Boston community with impactful educational programs and exhibits to encourage learning, engagement, and change.

UVA Board of Directors & Council of Advisors Louise Bonar, Tsun-Ming Chmielinski, Francis Gardino, Marcie Laden, Madeline Lee, Jeanne Lin, Susan Loomis-Wing, Brenda Gael McSweeney, Andrea Newman, Ira-Ilana Papadopoulou, John Quatrale, Ruth Rieffanaugh, Diane Sheridan, Karen Smigliani, Jennifer Turpin

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Unbound Visual Arts Inc. 43 N. Beacon St. Arthaus Gallery Allston, MA 02134 UnboundVisualArts.org info@UnboundVisualArts.org 617-657-4278

Artists: Jennifer Amadeo-Holl, Ivonne Blanco, Monica Cohen, Nayda A. Cuevas, DO · ALISM, Raquel Fornasaro, Yola Gilibert, Colomba Klenner, Andrés López, Maia Monteagudo, Joshua Sariñana, and Maria Servellón

Copyright 2023 Unbound Visual Arts, Inc. Nothing in this catalog may be reproduced in any manner without permission, except for exhibit and art reviews or other educational purposes.

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Curator’s Statement How do we understand the dynamic relationship between who we are and where we are? How do we represent ourselves within the different spaces we engage in whether physical or digital? Finally, in what ways do our individual lived experiences relate to the structural and systemic arrangements that so often shape these environments?

These are the questions that these artists have gestured toward as they explore the diverse experiences and representations of Latinx identity. The central notion of “who” emerges as many of the works reference and represent the human subject. The idea of “where” comes from the depictions of various environments and spaces – whether it be Boston’s Latin Quarter, the digital publics of social media, or cartographic images of the Americas.

Through sculpture, photography, time-based works, and mixed media, the featured artists illustrate the diversity of Latinx experiences. And in doing so, they examine subjects ranging from movement and migration, gender and womanhood, the violence of the nation-state, and the importance of healing the mind and body.

Overall, these artists have offered rich meditations on what it means to be Latinx in our current moment.

Declaración del Curador ¿Cómo entendemos la relación dinámica entre quiénes somos y dónde estamos? ¿Cómo nos representamos dentro de los diferentes espacios en los que participamos, ya sean físicos o digitales? Finalmente, ¿de qué manera nuestras experiencias vividas individualmente se relacionan con los arreglos estructurales y sistémicos que tan a menudo dan forma a estos entornos?

Estas son las preguntas a las que estos artistas han apuntado mientras exploran las diversas experiencias y representaciones de la identidad latina. La noción central de “quién” surge cuando muchas de las obras hacen referencia y representan al sujeto humano. La idea de “dónde” proviene de las representaciones de diversos entornos y espacios, ya sea el Barrio Latino de Boston, los públicos digitales de las redes sociales o imágenes cartográficas de las Américas.

A través de escultura, fotografía, obras basadas en el tiempo y técnicas mixtas, los artistas destacados ilustran la diversidad de las experiencias latinas. Y al hacerlo, examinan temas que van desde el movimiento y la migración, el género y la feminidad, la violencia del Estado-nación y la importancia de sanar la mente y el cuerpo.

En general, estos artistas han ofrecido ricas meditaciones sobre lo que significa ser latino en nuestro momento actual.

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Curator’s Biography Jessica Hernandez is a DJ, producer, and sound artist. She is particularly interested in dance oriented works and experimental forms of electronic music that challenge listeners through discordant arrangements and visceral rhythms. In regard to the visual arts, Jessica is drawn to works that function as modes of cultural critique and forms of intellectual thought. She is especially moved by works that engage with history, Blackness, the Caribbean, and abstraction. While at UVA, Jessica hopes to learn more about the process of curation and connect with Boston-based artists working in the visual and performing arts. She received her B.A. in Peace and Conflict Studies from Swarthmore College (2020) and her M.A. in History from the University of Virginia (2022).

Biografía del Curador Jessica Hernandez es DJ, productora y artista sonora. Está particularmente interesada en obras orientadas a la danza y formas experimentales de música electrónica que desafían a los oyentes a través de arreglos discordantes y ritmos viscerales. En lo que respecta a las artes visuales, Jessica se siente atraída por obras que funcionan como modos de crítica cultural y formas de pensamiento intelectual. Le conmueven especialmente las obras que abordan la historia, la negritud, el Caribe y la abstracción. Mientras está en UVA, Jessica espera aprender más sobre el proceso de curación y conectarse con artistas de Boston que trabajan en las artes visuales y escénicas. Recibió su B.A. en Estudios de Paz y Conflictos de Swarthmore College (2020) y su M.A. de la Universidad de Virginia (2022).

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Artwork

Jennifer Amadeo-Holl A Frame for His Mythology Oil on Linen 49 x 32 inches

Jennifer Amadeo-Holl Love Letter to the Future Oil on Linen 49 x 32 inches

Jennifer Amadeo-Holl Mother of Exiles Oil on Linen 49 x 32 inches

Ivonne Blanco Between Two Worlds I Mixed Media and Acrylic on Wood Panel 10 x 13 inches

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Ivonne Blanco Between Two Worlds II Mixed Media and Acrylic on Wood Panel 10 x 13 inches

Ivonne Blanco Geogrametry Mixed Media and Acrylic on Wood Board 19 x 25 inches

Monica Cohen Boston’s Latin Quarter Film 21:22

Nayda A. Cuevas #Latina:ReclaimingtheLatinaTag Oil on Panel 5 x 3 inches, 100 Panels

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Nayda A. Cuevas #FierceLatina Oil on Panel & Mixed Media Image Transfer 30 x 30 inches, 5 Panels

DO · ALISM Los Colores de mi Gente Digital Art, Three Image Sequence 20 x 16 inches

DO · ALISM El Tango de Nos (Our Tango) Acrylic and Pencil 48 x 24 inches

Raquel Fornasaro Big Boy Pants Oil on Canvas 40 x 30 inches

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Yola Gilibert Stairway to Heaven Mixed Media Oil 24 x 20 inches

Yola Gilibert Summer in My Mind Mixed Media Oil 24 x 24 inches

Colomba Klenner Valeria Oil on Canvas 38 x 26 inches

Andrés López Broken Dreams (Sueños Truncados) Recycled Plastic and Wire Mesh 12 x 15 inches

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Andrés López Homage to the Missing Migrant Recycled Plastic, Aluminum Wire, Wire Mesh, Cajun Pepper 16 x 10 inches

Maia Monteagudo Lotería - El Corazón Acrylic, Ink, Mixed Media on Canvas 20 x 16 inches

Maia Monteagudo Lotería - La Rosa Acrylic, Ink, Mixed Media on Canvas 20 x 16 inches

Maia Monteagudo Lotería - La Sandía Acrylic, Ink, Mixed Media on Canvas 20 x 16 inches 11

Joshua Sariñana Die Back Photograph, Pigment Fibre Rag Print 12 x 12 inches

Joshua Sariñana Die Back Photograph, Pigment Fibre Rag Print 17 x 21 inches

Maria Servellón Out of the Silhouette Video Projection 30:02

Art in this exhibit may be purchased by visiting the gallery or going to the Unbound Visual Arts online art shop

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Artist Statements and Biographies 1. Jennifer Amadeo-Holl

I am submitting 3 paintings. The first 2 paintings (Mother of Exiles; Love Letter to the Future) are from a series of works which consider the Statue of Liberty as both a formal consideration, a narrative prompt, and an occupiable persona. The paintings move between representation, abstraction, and symbology, exploring the monument as both a wish for safe harbor and a reminder of the US record on the acceptance and treatment of immigrants. The third painting (A Frame for His Mythology) explores the double-eyed sense of time + identity I feel when thinking of my Father and his experience in the US and in Puerto Rico.

Bio: I create art as an act of communication and fellowship. My hope is to make formidable but tender, paradoxically harmonic paintings that may be inexplicable and yet speak.

2. Ivonne Blanco

I am interested in this exhibition as it serves to amplify LatinX perspectives on the concept of LatinX Heritage Month, perspectives that I feel often get left out for the sake of comforting the majority, as we may not agree with labels or designations, yet need to adapt to an ever-evolving landscape in order to survive. Mine is a culture of resilience and ingenuity, born not of ambition, but out of necessity. I offer a perspective of confusion; how can you successfully navigate an ambiguous world? How do you know that what you have synthesized and constructed is the correct path with the proper vehicle? Do you hide one identity for the sake of the other, in hopes that it will clarify your journey? This is the dilemma of navigating this world as a Cuban-American.

This suite of paintings, Geogrametry and Between Two Worlds I and II, explore unsuccessful navigation between two geographies. Inverted maps from Florida and Massachusetts represent my two homes, two distinct worlds, and are layered with unintelligible instructions.

Geometric representations of naval structures exist as a means of navigating these environments, yet they are incomplete and skeletal, further adding to the futility. This theme is prevalent throughout my body of work, reenforcing the dichotomy of self that is a facet of being a first-generation Cuban-American.

Bio: Ivonne Blanco is a Cuban-American multidisciplinary artist and UX designer based in Somerville, MA. She studied at the Rhode Island School of Design and briefly studied at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris and Pont Aven, focusing on printmaking and post-impressionist history. She recently earned a Master of Science in Experience Design at Northeastern University. Her work explores the confusion of a mixed identity, the balance between order and chaos emotions translated through layers of diffused media and crisp geometric forms. Her mixed media pieces invite you to witness a landscape of deconstructed boat structures dividing unintelligible maps and directions, evoking themes of failed navigation, reminiscent of a childhood spent in Miami watching her father repair boats.

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An enthusiastic supporter of the Free Art Fridays free art movement, she has “dropped” Muertos, small skeleton sculptures in memory of her father, in over 15 countries. These sculptures are an invitation for strangers to embrace a new perspective on what it means to grieve and engage in dialogue about grief and death if they so wish. Previously working under the alias Samurai White, she is best known for her Heavy Metal Nutcrackers and has been featured in Artscope, BoingBoing, Nerdist, and German outlets DrLima and Schlecky Silbersten. Her work is enjoyed in collections throughout the world; as far as New Zealand and as close as your neighbor’s living room.

3. Monica Cohen

As an artist, a Colombian, an immigrant to this country and a neighbor of Boston’s Latin Quarter, I was able to make a compelling visual piece that can make us proud of the history, the struggle, the fights and the beauty of our community. For me, this film was an opportunity to provide the community of Boston’s Latin Quarter with a visual tool for promotional purposes, and it’s done just that; the film has been shown in important meetings with grassroots organizations, State and National representatives and private stakeholders who in a very short period of time grasp the importance of the preservation of cultural enclaves like this one and are motivated to create policies or give significant funding to support the cause.

I believe in this project together with many of the residents and local business owners that I’ve had the incredible privilege to meet through my work. We’re excited and feel the urgency of this visual document to commemorate more than 60 years of this vibrant Latinx community and the well merited designation of Boston’s Latin Quarter.

Bio: Monica Cohen is a Colombian filmmaker and mother of 2 dedicated to producing powerful documentaries that put culture and art in the center of social transformation and human connection. She is also the owner and founder of The Boom House Productions, a video production house based in Boston, MA that centers its work on the production of promotional videos that are rooted in storytelling using a cinematic and a documentary film lens.

Monica has been part of videos and award winning film projects as a Director, a Producer, DP, Editor and sometimes even as a sound mixer and a music composer.

She co-produced MY NAME IS PEDRO, an award winning documentary film that premiered in Woodstock Film Festival in 2016. She Directed and Produced BOSTON'S LATIN QUARTER (2019), premiered in the Boston Latino Film Festival. Monica's first award winning feature documentary film DREAMS OF CHONTA (2020), has been selected in multiple film festivals in the US and Latin America. She co-directed with artist Hortense Gerardo THE OPIOID EPIDEMIC: A MOTHER'S RECKONING, a short documentary that premiered at Woods Hole Film Festival in 2020. Recently, Monica was one of the co-directors of CONNECTIONS:NO ONE IS AN ISLAND, a global multi-media interactive story about the connections and experiences people shared throughout the pandemic, a project that made its debut at CPH:DOX in April 2021.

Her hope is to create bridges through film and mobilize people towards a more equitable world for all.

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4. Nayda A. Cuevas

#Latina:Reclaiming the Latina Tag allows exploration to discuss Western society’s view of the myth/stereotype of the Latina woman. It celebrates and shines a light on the diversity of women within the social construct of race and the term Latina. Meanwhile, reducing the painted portrait to the immediacy of the 2015 cultural trend the: Selfie. Exploring the selfie, and its mainstay in popular culture, led me to realize that there are subthemes within how people examine or present identity such as ethnic, gender, or religious identity. Selfies are an expression of one’s identity, however contrived or imagined it may be. For this reason, my artwork calls attention to the ways in which technologies allow individuals to actively voice their opinions through self-portraiture.

This series consists of 100 selfie sized portraits measuring 3”x5” of those women who posted their selfies on a Tumblr blog. Reclaiming the Latina Tag blog exists on the social media Tumblr and the creator encouraged woman to post selfies of a non hypersexualized image of what it truly means to be or look like a Latina. By re-presenting the quickly created selfie with a more traditional, time sensitive painting approach and hanging it on an art gallery wall, I want viewers to also slow down and more deeply engage the politics of identity negotiated in a portrait, from ethnic identity to social activism. My portrait paintings represent a journey in my continuous search to make connections.

Bio: Nayda A. Cuevas Ramos was born in Puerto Rico. Her family migrated in 1990 to Florida. As a means of negotiating alienation and the absence of familiar people and places she turned to the arts to explore her identity. She obtained a BFA in Fine Art (2002) from Stetson University in Deland FL and her MFA in Visual Arts (2015) at Lesley College of Art (Former Art Institute of Boston) in Cambridge, MA. Ms. Cuevas' passion emerged for unearthing a visual language to better articulate through visual arts her observation and/or interpretation of her Latina American experience. As an artist her interest lies in using history, art history, and current cultural trends to produce images of both her physical and emotional experiences of displacement.

5. DO · ALISM (Josefina Busca Sust and Valentina Busca Sust) My art explores my essence as a Latin woman who grew up in the US. Through my work, I aim to critically engage with my perspective about the Latinx community and feminism Bio (Josefina Busca Sust): As an Argentinean woman, raised in Mexico and the US, Josefina has a unique perspective on multicultural art and expression. She attended the Design and Architecture Senior High in Miami and graduated as an Architect, Urbanist and Landscape Designer from National University of Cordoba. She is exploring how that all comes together in Cambridge, MA where she works as an urbanist influencing and improving spaces by bringing diverse cultural groups together in various projects across the nation.

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Bio (Valentina Busca Sust): Born in Córdoba, Argentina, my journey as an artist began at a remarkably young age. As a child, I wielded pencils and brushes, infusing life into my illustrations and cartoons but during my teenage years, a new passion ignited within me, leading me to transition from cartoons to the captivating world of manga. This shift marked the start of my exploration into pop art and mixed media, adding depth and dimension to my artistic repertoire.

6. Raquel Fornasaro Bio: Born in São Paulo, Brazil (1981). After earning a B.A. in Advertising from the Pontifical Catholic University of São Paulo (PUC-SP), Fornasaro moved to the US where she attended 2 years of the Fine Arts program at the Corcoran School of Art+Design in Washington, DC. Currently living in Boston, she has shown in multiple venues such as galleries, universities, and museums, including Boston MFA and MIT Media Lab.

7. Yola Gilibert

My artwork is a vehicle for taking care of my emotions and aiding in my healing process. I focus on being in the moment and connecting with myself. I love going to imaginary places and creating stories that bring me joy and passion for life. I started painting cities that reminded me of my childhood, and as I evolved as an artist, cities from other cultures and other parts of the world became my passion. My artwork reflects the light that comes from within, it is not the place or the circumstances that shape my emotions of joy and happiness, but this light within me. I would like to invite the observer to take part in my creative process, and hopefully inspire them to tell their own stories.

Bio: Yola Gilibert started developing an interest in art and aesthetics at an early age. Born and raised in Mexico City, she grew up within a rich cultural environment. She found a strong connection to art during her studies in architecture, but it wasn’t until she moved to Florida and Boston that she felt she was ready to develop her painting as a channel of self-expression and self-awareness.

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8. Colomba Klenner Within every subject, there exists a new world. Yet these worlds reveal themselves only to those who look closely. My goal is to take the unique energy of a subject and transform it into something visual that enhances their vitality. The work "Valeria", inspired by my own mother, tells the story of a young woman's journey to conquer adversity. Born into a working-class family in Chile, Valeria's path to success was anything but easy. However, through her fierce determination and unyielding ambition, Valeria was able to overcome her challenging circumstances and be the first in her family to pursue higher education. The portrait, depicting Valeria at the age of 23, captures the essence of her determined and resilient spirit, infused with the confidence that comes from pursuing one's dreams. The look that says "there is more ahead". She ultimately left Chile for Singapore and the USA, seeking new opportunities and experiences. She is the reason that I am here today pursuing my own dreams. As such I share her story in hopes that it is an inspiration to those who are wrestling with their own challenges, especially when it comes to being a woman of color.

Bio: Colomba Klenner is a Boston-based painter and illustrator, pursuing a Painting Bachelors of Fine Arts at Massachusetts College of Art and Design. She was born in Santiago, Chile but spent a large amount of time in Singapore before settling in Boston to pursue her career.

Living in such contrasting places has allowed Colomba's art to be influenced by a variety of cultures and physical environments.

9. Andrés López

In my sculptures, I encapsulate the migrant crisis, portraying the unrealized dreams of those navigating a painful journey for a brighter future. Spanning borders, they're treated as commodities, subjected to abuse and smuggling, confronting the cruelty of drug cartels. Through my art, I amplify their resilience and agony, prompting empathy and compelling action to bring their stories and suffering and struggle to light.

Bio: Andrés López, a painter and sculptor with Mesoamerican roots, was born in El Salvador and embarked on a journey that would define his artistic legacy. At the age of 16, he migrated to the United States, carrying with him the rich cultural tapestry of his homeland. His formative years in the U.S. saw him studying at Brighton High School, where his creative spark began to ignite.

During his youth, López found himself drawn to the Artist for Humanity initiative, where he honed his artistic talents. While partly self-taught, he also pursued academic studies at both Boston University and the Harvard Ceramics Program, enriching his understanding of various artistic techniques and concepts.

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10. Maia Monteagudo Bio: My name is Maia Monteagudo and I was born and raised in Boston, MA with two incredibly progressive and supportive immigrant parents from Guatemala. I had been brought up to explore the arts and creativity in a wide array of modalities including: visual arts, music, dancing, and acting. Throughout elementary and high school I explored my own artistic styles through school art programming as well as extracurricular classes in fashion design. While pursuing my B.A. in Psychology at Connecticut College, I ventured into graphic design to further expand my skill set and creative platforms. Between my B.A. and M.A. I dedicated myself to fully developing my artistic voice through retail visual merchandising to better understand composition and form as well as self-guided exploration of acrylics and inks. During this time I would continue to hone my craft by commissioned art and illustration along with tattoo design consultation. In 2017, I graduated from Lesley University Graduate School with a M.A. in Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Expressive Arts Therapies. Currently, creative exploration not only drives the foundation of my therapeutic practice but also serves as my own exploration of who I am as I continue to evolve. Her personal Instagram account is lartista310.

11. Joshua Sariñana My work navigates the complex and dynamic topology of the emergent properties of complex networks. As a neuroscientist turned artist, I use network theory to explore the overlapping terrains of the mind, culture, and society through a transdisciplinary approach emphasizing transformation, illuminating how we perceive ourselves reflected across various landscapes. I reflect on the connections formed across invisible borders created out of necessity, drawing parallels between the intricate networks of the brain and the social connections to build resiliency against the dominant culture and systems of oppression. I have endeavored to create conversations that traverse the traditional boundaries of art, science, and society.

Bio: Joshua Sariñana, PhD, traces the underlying networks of the brain and art, blending his expertise with the humanities. He obtained his degrees in neuroscience from UCLA and MIT, focusing on dopamine's effects on hippocampal circuit activity, learning, and navigation.

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12. Maria Servellón A continued exploration of autobiographical remixing, pop culture, glitch art, VJ culture, and personal renaissance.

Bio: Maria Servellón is an award-winning filmmaker, multimedia artist, educator, and arts advocate from Boston, MA. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art from UMass Boston, and her Master of Fine Arts in Film and Media Art from Emerson College. Her expertise lies in film and digital media, including projection, installation, photography, and design.

Maria's work explores the synesthetic relationships between art, music, and dance in shaping identity.

Maria's work has been recognized through numerous screenings and exhibitions in Massachusetts, New York, California, Oregon, the UK, and Mexico thus far.

One of her most lauded works to date is the magic-realist short film, Hyphen (2018). In recent years, she was named one of 2018's "Latinos 30 Under 30" by El Mundo Boston, a 2019 New England Film Star Award finalist, a 2020 Amplify Latinx "Latina Leader", a 2020 Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce “Outstanding Young Leader” honoree, and has won grants, fellowships, and residencies from the Boston Mayor's Office Of Arts & Culture, Boston Arts & Business Council, Boston Public Schools, Boston Dance Theater, Danza Orgánica, and Mass MoCA. Maria is a part-time faculty member at Emerson College and Northeastern University.

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