Fourteen Latino American artists from throughout the state of Tennessee have come together to create Estamos Aquí: Voces Contemporáneas/We Are Here: Contemporary Voices.These artists explore identity, family, culture, and social justice in acrylic, clay, print, and other forms. Though the pieces were created by Latino artists, the themes are universal. Take, for example, Ruben Torres, a Mexican born artist that focuses on figurative symbolism. His images evoke emotional responses from all viewers and their simple forms make it easy to put yourself in their place.

Many of the artists explore the ways that we construct identity, especially the way that we layer cultures on top of each other as we travel to new places. Did you know about 80 new people move to Nashville EVERY DAY???  (According to CNN) That’s a lot of people bringing a lot of different cultures. And these people are not all immigrants. Sure, the Latin American population in Nashville has grown 10-15% in the last 10 years and the Kurdish population is thriving. But, we are also a popular destination for Midwesterners, Southerners, and Texans. I met someone earlier this week from Portland! All of these individuals bring their own perspective to live in Nashville and it is reflected in this exhibit. Jorge Yances paints layers upon layers of faces, newspapers, and other items in his work, Zolita Mojica combines Nashville skylines with Colombian flowers, and Danielle Sierra puts Elvis and Martin Luther King Jr on the same canvas. The unique intersections of our personal worlds are laid out in the artwork created by these wonderful artists.

Visit the exhibit at the Main Library, 615 Church Street. Exhibit closes April 3. This exhibit was curated by Jairo and Susan Prado and is part of the yearlong Estamos Aqui: 500 Years of Latino American History project.