The ETSU Slocumb Galleries are currently housing part of the “New Latinx South” exhibition until Oct. 30. The exhibit focuses on the artists’ experiences as Latinx individuals.
“Normally, in the past we do this [Latin-American exhibition] in the spring, because we do it at Tipton Gallery during Corazon Latino,” said Karlota Contreras-Koterbay, director of the Slocumb Galleries. “But with COVID and the change of the Corazon Latino date to the fall, we decided to do it then.”
The artists involved in the “New Latinx South” exhibition are Nick Peña and Vanessa Gonzalez, two Latinx artists. Peña specializes in mix-media, which is on display in the Slocumb Galleries, while Gonzalez brings her prints to the Tipton Gallery.
Peña will be visiting Tipton Gallery on Oct. 30 to join in on the community altar in partnership with ETSU Language and Culture Resource Center Director Felipe Fiuza, the ETSU Multicultural Center and Africana Studies.
“We’ll also have a walkthrough of the gallery and a gallery talk with Nick Peña,” Contreras-Koterbay added.
Peña’s multi-media work centers around the theme of the American dream in this exhibit. His exhibit, entitled “Shelf Life”, is described as cutting edge to and resonating with the viewer, no matter their background. Peña utilizes paint, vinyl and sculpture to portray his theme to the viewer.
“The resonance more because he’s talking about house, the American dream and also the disillusion of achieving that,” said Contreras-Koterbay. “And the art work is actually high up on the wall, it’s out of reach.”
Gonzalez, on the other hand, focuses on one type of art: printmaking. The title of her exhibit is “Mi Casa Es Tu Casa”, or “My Home is Your Home.” Gonzalez’s exhibit features a print that combines her American passport and her Mexican passport that takes her subject matter a step further.
“She [Gonzalez] was born in Texas but raised in Mexico,” Contreras-Koterbay said. “So having that biracial upbringing has always been an issue for a lot of our Latin-American citizens, neighbors and friends…Through her art, she was able to address the issue of identity.”
“We really want to provide visibility for some of our minority communities, not to take away from attention from others but to add onto the narrative,” Contreras-Koterbay said.
The “New Latinx South” exhibit is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Slocumb Galleries until Oct. 30.
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