The culmination of Jonathan Christensen Caballero’s yearlong residency at the Lawrence Arts Center will be on display starting Friday evening.
Seeds of Tomorrow/Semillas Del Mañana is “an exhibition of mixed media figurative sculpture celebrating the will of the Latin American community,” according to a news release from the artist.
“They have a strong will to work for a better life for their families and themselves. Latin Americans are part of the history of migration in Kansas and an integral part of the fabric of the United States,” Caballero writes. “From the Mexican families who labored for the Santa Fe Railroad of yesterday, to Central American factory workers who continue to feed us today, our stories represent the hope and faith for the seeds of tomorrow.”
The opening reception for the exhibition will be held from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday, June 24. Caballero will give an Insight Art Talk at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 7 at the Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire St.
Caballero writes that his work is based on his personal identity, formed by watching his parents support his family through labor jobs and his mother, who emigrated from Panama.
“My artwork narrates enduring questions of identity through the use of the human figure, labor politics, and mixed-media sculpture. The narrative sculpture reinterprets the visual iconography throughout North and Central America with the materials available to working class immigrants today,” he writes.
“Through my art, I hope to be part of the change I want to see in the world. It is a moral imperative for Latin Americans to be celebrated as part of the fabric of US society. Our bodies aren’t solely destined for labor, but also love, joy, and acceptance.”
Caballero’s exhibition will be on display through Friday, July 23. The Arts Center is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.
Caballero will be a key artist on the aesthetic design of the immersive art experience called “Finding La Yarda,” which will re-create a room from the housing unit built for Mexican American railroad workers in Lawrence from 1920-51.
Learn more about Caballero and see more of his work on his website.
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