About the blog created in 2011:
I have been known to complain about the lack of activities in Hispanic Nashville. That doesn’t mean that as Hispanics we don’t participate in non-Hispanic events, we most certainly do. But the events I enjoy most are the ones that somehow relate to my people or the experiences we share. The good news is that the variety of Latino-related events are increasing day by day. This is a review of the events I am able to attend.
1st Post - Latina in Nashville: Art
On a cool and quiet Thursday evening my buddy and I went on a mini Hispanic Nashville arts tour. Our first stop was the second floor of Vanderbilt’s beautiful Cohen Hall. There we saw “MAMA/RECIPROCAL ENERGY” a small sampling of Cuban-born Maria Magdalena Campos Pons' multi-media artwork. The colors, composition, and creativity are a treat to the eyes and mind. The subjects and themes of the work are a treat for the soul.
We quickly made way to our next stop, the Sarratt Student Center’s gallery in the lobby. There we enjoyed a sampling of José Galvez’s black and white photos of Hispanics in the South. I am thrilled to know that there is someone out there dedicating his life (over 40 years) to visually documenting the life of Hispanics all over the United States through photography. The people in the photographs are as diverse as their surroundings. There’s a young quinceañera practicing her moves with a dance team for her big day, a marcher holding a US flag to his face, and a blue collar worker in full work gear. I was excited to see a photograph of a couple and a little girl at the Nashville International Airport waiting for mother to arrive. I couldn’t help think of the DREAM ACT when I saw a photograph of two young boys on bikes on College St. The artist is aware his photographs are of regular, mundane life. The beauty is witnessing “how people naturally arrange themselves against their environment” as the artist’s statement explains. Galvez hopes to do justice to who we as Latinos really are, have been, and are becoming. To that I say, thank you.
Both of these exhibits are free and a short distance from each other. It’s worth the gas or bus money to get your self there. Campos Pons' work will be on display through December 8 while Galvez's photographs will be available through October 29th. I’ll wait for a free day at the Frist Center for the Visual Arts to see the rest of Campos Pons work.
