As a Latinx (Mexican Indigenous/Afro- Puerto Rican) self-taught artist born in Chicago, the work I create lies at the intersection of community education, transforming space, and visually depicting the narrative of our under-served black and brown communities. Art has been a force in my ability to re-imagine another world other than the one handed to us. To counter the contemporary issues we face as people of color I take abandoned spaces and replace them with aesthetically striking visuals that reflect our community’s identity. The narratives I paint are of the legacy our ancestors have long struggled for. This work is important for future generations so they may continue to be inspired to build the legacy and work of our people. My work draws from the aesthetics and techniques of early Mexican muralists, and the political culture/resiliency of Puerto Ricans from the island and here in Chicago. I have used my ethnic-identity, and talent to cultivate public art for the people, of the people.
Image: Luis Munoz, Boricua en La Luna: Juan Antonio Corretjer (2021). Puerto Rican Poet and Revolutionary, Juan Antonio wrote the poem Boricua en La Luna while visiting the Puerto Rican Community here in Chicago’s Humboldt Park. The beret he is wearing in the mural was given to him by Che Guevara.
SPARK Microgrant
