Hispanic Identities in Visual Art

By Georgia Achilles

Visual art has the power to document stories, shift narratives, and expand our understanding of ourselves. The Hispanic diaspora encompasses countless communities and experiences, thus making the depictions of Hispanic identity beautifully fluid and constantly evolving. Whether as a means of documentation, celebration, introspection, or advocacy, the artists highlighted below masterfully express Hispanic identities through artistic mediums.

Deb Leal is a Mexican-American photographer and filmmaker based in Brooklyn, NY. Highly regarded, her work has been featured in publications like The New York Times and in galleries like the DeYoung and Tenderloin Museums. Heavily influenced by her Chicano upbringing, Leal’s portraits are marked by bold color and explore time and identity through intimate portraits of everyday moments.

“There’s beauty in plucking a moment in 1/125th of a second that speaks to the vast expanse of time and human experience in a moment of joy. I find it fascinating to examine what translates movement, whether that be physical or emotional, in everyday life. Growing up in a Latino household meant hearing the operatic vocals of Ranchera music and seeing Catholic iconography at every turn, so I can only imagine this is where I began to pull at threads.”

Roberto Lugo is a Puerto Rican-American artist, activist and poet based in Philadelphia, PA. His work unites ceramics with pop culture through iconography that celebrates communities of color. His intricate pieces aim to call out racial injustice and represent the experiences of the Black and Latine communities in the fine art space. His work can be found in galleries across the country, and on permanent display in the National Museum of African-American History and Culture.

“When teenagers see somebody who looks just like them, that came from the same place, who’s making a living off of something like pottery, what’s really implicated is bigger than pottery”

Maria Fragroso is a painter who has spent her artistic career between the US and Mexico. Her narrative works investigate our intrinsic need for human connection, and most often depict women. The figures in her paintings draw on the styles of contemporary Mexican artists, but are elevated by her feminine motifs and metaphorical objects. Battling homophobia and expanding on racial identity, her paintings exist at a crossroads of Mexican and American cultures.

“My relationship with Mexico is very personal and emotional. And my relationship with the United States has a healthy distance. Which offers a special kind of freedom, but the question of belonging becomes important and complex for both cases.”