Art Making in the Diaspora

Estefania Velez Rodriguez brings together artists from the diaspora for a multi-disciplinary retreat exploring their experiences in the U.S. art world.

Through readings, nature immersion, painting, and Gloria Anzaldua’s "Borderlands: La Frontera" discussions, she will facilitate an open forum on themes of diaspora, belonging, duality, and envisioning art across cultures.

With a healing, restorative approach integrating discussion, journaling, nature explorations, and casual creative practice, Estefania hopes to cultivate solidarity and collective voice. She envisions the fluid experience akin to an introspective therapy group, where she will introduce ideas and moderate dialogues as a facilitator, not a leader with answers. The culminating goal is a shared digital archive documenting the diaspora artist narratives and perspectives that emerge.

Partipants Include:

Visual Artist, Daniel Alvarado

Painter, Paz Rocio Mallea

Painter, Estefania Velez Rodriguez

Independent Curator, Jose Lopes Serra

Painter, Leonard Yang

Centro PR is a great resource for people interested in more readings around themes of history, culture, and social causes around Puerto Ricans and their diasporic populations. Centro PR has an affiliation with Hunter College. Their instagram is @centropr and they have great books, zines, movies, and artists talks which people can resource at any time.