LATINO ART LEADERSHIP

WHAT WE NEED TO LEARN FROM IT WHY CUTTING THE GENRE WITH AN X-ACTO KNIFE?

FOR MANY YEARS, what has bothered me the most about this genre’s own classification is that all Latino art and artists have been marked with an “X”. In it, my mind traces the narratives of every artist strokes imagining the path they are taking with their intimate message and deep perspective. A mark that indicates a STOP, a block in the road, no trespassing, a NO more. Not acknowledging the failures of others and the harm they caused in recent social circumstances that mark violates the core value of all Latino artists.

Let ourselves validate this statement and make visible altogether the quality of Latino Art!

Denying narratives, removing emotions and going into public spaces to capitalize on the artists personal’s is totally absurd and wrong, these artists are real people stranded along the way watching their identities walk away from them, passing time seen time passing and putting in second place their work. That denigrates and imposes austerity and simplicity, and ignores the intimacy and authenticity of this genre.

Just call it Latino! Had not yet been smothered enough in ugly “ideological patois”? Haven’t we learned enough in this pandemic? We cannot allow ourselves as Latinos and the same art world in panels, interviews, exhibitions, movements, associations and books slaughtering the genre with politics. An eccentric work of art awakens a new way of seen the world, not a personal preference or a minority group discrimination. As I stated before; this is “Damn good Art” despite not two people perceive the clouds the same way.

There are two significant art exhibitions coming up in the next eighteen months, and they materialize by competing against each other, not complementing or helping the genre and participants see their colleagues as contenders, fighting for a deserved attention from the public’s opinion.

“Shadow Game” 2019 by Amaryllis de Jesus Moleski

“Estamos Bien” NYC Museo del Barrio’s first contemporary LatinX exhibition. Where artists in the caliber of Amaryllis De Jesus Moleski, Justin Favela, Lucia Hierro, Esteban Jefferson, Roberto Lugo and Vincent Valdez, among others are joining and excluding each other’s from… “Xicano- a.o.x” the American Federation of Arts’ first exhibition of its kind, packed with highly influential Chicano contemporary artists in the magnitude of Celia Alvarez, Mel Casas, Marcos Raya, Liz Cohen and Rafa Esparza, that also exclude themselves from the others.

Yet I ask, what is this all about and why is this important to us as Latinos?

Latino artworks are often both or more classifications, and numerous and adverse exhibitions including the above mentioned will be able to represent the totality of the genre’s faces simultaneously and with sensitivity. Where audiences are invited to admire the technical virtuosity and creativity of this artists as a fundamental purpose.

It seems to me when critic’s display such ignorance about the scope of view held by these experts, it exposes their bias and disqualifies their authority on these issues. Indeed, it is almost beyond parody that these same expert critics preach professionalism that demands fair honesty about equality in the valuation and appreciation.

Restoring our national unity of quality of Latino art and genre is our mission, by rekindling a brave and honest love and recognition for our heritage and by rising new generations of grander artists who not only know the self-evident truth of legacy and past, but act worthy of their self “identity” and not allowing an ignorant branding of one of the most influential genres of American Art with an “X”.