Latinx artists from Louisville featured in ‘Our Kentucky Home’ exhibit – Courier Journal
At age 11, Isvara Torres is making a name for themselves as one of the youngest artists showcased in a Latinx traveling exhibit visiting different locations across the state.
“Culture is part of who you are, and it shines through art,” said Isvara, who is of Ecuadorian and American descent. “Latin culture is rich in history, family-centered and tough.”
Isvara is one of 20 visual artists showcasing their work in”Our Kentucky Home: Hispanic/Latin American Visual Art in the Commonwealth.” The free exhibit is at the LexArts Gallery in Lexington throughNov. 14 and will be in Louisville at the Kentucky Center, 502 W. Main St., Jan. 6-31, 2023.
Torres couldn’t believe her acrylic painting, “Passion, Beauty and Poverty,”which shows a woman in a beautiful dress walking through a dirty alley, was picked for the exhibit, which hopes to highlight the “Hispanic/Latin American/Latinx experiences in the commonwealth today, demonstrate diversity through diverse media, styles and themes and recognize the dynamic expressions these Kentuckians contribute to our cultural landscape,” according to the Kentucky Arts Council.
“I was like, ‘Who me?’” she said smiling.
Isvara’s mother, Rachel Torres, said she is honored her daughter’s work was picked among other pieces created by adults forthe exhibit and hopes Isvara’s work will influence other children to submit work for future exhibits.
She said her daughter’s inspiration for the project came from an annual parade in Pillaro, Ecuador, when indigenous people dress in historic costumes and as giant monsters, which Rachel explained, represent the physical, economic and moral punishments colonizers of Ecuador did to the locals.
A group of panelists representing the Hispanic community reviewed the submitted art, including Isvara’s piece, for the traveling exhibit and noted the various degrees of talent and creativity across various different media.
Jose Neil Donis, exhibit organizer and editor of Al Día en América, Kentuckiana’s sole Hispanic newspaper, said the traveling exhibit is a great way for the people of Kentucky to recognize its immigrants as their own.
“It is also an opportunity for artists to express and share what it is like to be a new Kentuckian, living in a new home country,” Donis said. “The theme of the exhibit is Nuestro Hogar Kentucky (Our Kentucky Home). For children of immigrants who came decades ago, this exhibit reaffirms their identity as Kentuckians and recognizes Kentucky as their home.”
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Clay Mata and Leandro Lozada, two other artists featured in the exhibit, alsouse their artwork to explore their heritage.
Mata, who is of Mexican descent, and her family moved from Chicago to Louisville when she was 6. She proudly calls the Bluegrass State home and began painting 14 years ago, describing her style as being “all over the place.” But most of her inspiration stems from her Latinxroots.
“A lot of my art is colorful. People always compliment my characters because I like to leave the face out, but they know who it is,” said Mata, 35.
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Mata can recall the countless times she sat in the offices at Churchill Downs, waiting for her parents to get off work. To stave off boredom, Mata would draw on a napkin with a pen. That began her life-long love of art.
She has two pieces on display in the exhibit, “Ocelotl” (jaguar) & “Vive y Deja Morir” (Live and Let Die).
“When my friends and family push me to do more than what I do and push me to get out of my comfort zone, things change,” she said. “[Louisville] is my home, this is where I grew up and I feel so proud about it. … Even more pride to say I am a women artist, a Latina artist, a gay artist.”
“Ocelotl” was inspired by the city of Guererro, where her mother is from, and depicts a woman of color wearing a jaguar mask.
“It’s a strong woman even though she may look sad, she is strong and keeps going,” she told the Courier Journal.
Her other piece, “Vive y Deja Morir,” is a piece inspired by Dia de los Muertos. “Seeing how we celebrate someone who is no longer with us…” she said. “This celebration is very important to my wife and I. We always decorate and set up our ofrenda (offering) for those who no longer are with us.”
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Lozada, a photographer whoenjoys shooting portraits of faces and expressions, said he loves to capture “slight changes of body language.”
“I love eyes and hands,” he said. “When I am not taking a portrait, I love to take photos that are whimsical or strange. I also love photos that are otherworldly or numinous. Something that reminds me that there is more than meets the eye. I love a photo that asks a question but does not answer it.”
The married father of onebelieves his overall attitude earned him a spot in the exhibit.
“Throwing myself out there. Trying new things. I think those are the ingredients that have allowed me to grow as a photographer,” Lozada, 37, said. His piece, “Milk,” which was inspired by the hyper close-up portraits created by New York-based artist Martin Schoeller, is displayed at the exhibit.
“I went for milk because I think its color and consistency is beautiful,” he said. “And at the same time, we don’t even notice how wonderful milk can be.”
Mark Brown with the Kentucky Arts Council said “it has been great to meet the artists in the ‘Our Kentucky Home’ exhibit, who represent a lot of different age groups, artistic media, and cultural backgrounds. … We will continue developing traveling exhibits in the future to highlight the roles of Kentuckians with various cultural identities and how they contribute to our everyday landscape.”
Reach Culture & Diversity reporter Jason Gonzalez at jgonzalez1@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @JayGon15NYC.