Murray State's Digital Commons

Collection Title

Karen Colorado Art399 Portfolio

Author/Artist Name

Karen ColoradoFollow

Files

Academic Level at Time of Creation

Senior

Date of Creation

Spring 2021

Artist Statement

In my work I strive to communicate my relationship with my ethnicity and the role that Latine people are playing in our current social and political climate. Most of my art thus far has dealt with different themes and hardships that come with being Hispanic/Latino in America.

The current body of work that I’m developing talks primarily about how people move from one place to another, with a focus on the US-Mexico border crisis. The pieces often portray the landscapes people move through, the things they take with them for survival, and what the homes of these bodies look like before and after relocating. A common symbol in my current work is the plastic milk jug. I work with this symbol because loved ones of those crossing will leave jugs full of water in the desert for them to survive the harsh climate. I’m very attracted to the idea of taking a common household item everyone recognizes and taking it completely out of context to fit the narrative I’m trying to create. In recontextualizing common items the viewer is able to approach my art more easily even if they don’t know much about immigration. Portraying such a difficult topic with a heavy presence in our current political climate can be difficult and I hope that accessibility leads to interest in my artwork.

My work is heavily influenced by my own experiences and testimonies from millions of other immigrants. I constantly read stories online and attempt to highlight the differences in where these people are from and where they’re going next. A lot of my work is influenced by Mexican-American artist J. Leigh Garcia. Garcia’s work deals with the ‘residual racial discord’ of major historical events between the U.S and Mexico, particularly Texas. Her work is closely related to mine in subject matter and shared symbolisms and I'm inspired by her use of color and eye for composition.

Advisor/Mentor

John Utgaard, Nicole Hand, T. Mike Martin

Description

This exhibition consists of 20 pieces made and photographed by myself, Karen Colorado. It is a mix of ceramics and various forms of printmaking including screen printing and lithography. The body of work explores themes of immigration and the anxieties that come with moving to a new place. The pieces often portray the places immigrants once inhabited, the places they cross through, and the things they take with them.

Photo Credit

Karen Colorado

Recommended Citation

Colorado, Karen, "Karen Colorado Art399 Portfolio" (2021). Professional Practices (ART 399). 108.
https://digitalcommons.murraystate.edu/art399/108