Carina Vargas-Nuñez is a multidisciplinary artist who employs paint and textiles to delve into the tapestry of identity, disability, and family history. Carina has used artistic expression from a young age to process their experience with disability and envision worlds outside of the constraints imposed by their complex health challenges. This world building has continued into their practice today, where Carina uses bright colors and defined lines to illustrate narratives aimed at better understanding their sense of self. Their work is an amalgamation of memory, family stories, folklore, and history—pieced together to shape almost fantastical scenes rooted in elements of symbolism and magic realism
Carina’s work has been featured at Cam Contemporarie, the Chicago Athletic Association, the Bridgeport Art Center, The Other Art Fair, Comfort Station, and the Logan Arts Center. They have designed a mural for Centro Hispano in Madison, WI. Carina has participated in residencies with Unpack Havana in Havana, Cuba and Cam Contemporarie in Chicago, IL.
Image: Carina Vargas-Nunez, Cieba in Caimanera, 2023, Acrylic on Canvas, 60" x 60"
Headshot: Zakkiyyah Najeebah
CAC Residency
