In celebration of Latine Heritage Month, the UWM Union Art Gallery is offering a special glimpse of artwork crafted by local Milwaukee artists.
Among these artists are Nicole Acosta, Conhg Lopez, Mi Salgado, Richie Morales and Melissa Mursch-Rodriguez. While diverse in their art, each artist tells a personal story of their culture stretching from the shutter of a lens to the heedful trace of a marker.
Nicole Acosta
Nicole Acosta is a Milwaukee native and first-generation Mexican American artist who tells stories through photography. Her work embraces the power of portrait photography by conveying themes such as identity, experience and culture. While each portrait is different, the subject is aimed to create a personal experience for viewers in an attempt to share her own culture. Acosta is featured across the city at the Milwaukee Women’s Art Library, the Charles Allis Museum, and the Racine Art Museum.
Conhg Lopez
Originally from Oaxaca, Mexico, Lopez is now a Milwaukee artist sharing his thoughts and experiences of his culture through different types of art. These include woodworking, sketching, acrylic, watercolor, and pastel painting.
The gallery showcases his interpretation of society through a canvas featuring a subtle type of woodworking. It is meant to illustrate his journey of becoming one of a new culture while still holding on to his own.
Mi Salgado
Salgado is a Mexican American artist who now resides in Milwaukee featuring her culture through careful brushstrokes. Each painting is meant to embody the dual nature of her identity and culture as both a Mexican and an American. Each piece carefully represents a symbol or element from both cultures to illustrate a connection between both worlds. In her ongoing journey as an artist, Salgado paints to intrigue but also to allow viewers to create an intimate connection with the different pieces.
Richie Morales
From Guatemala to Milwaukee, Morales has been able to share his experience through the art of painting. Each painting is filled with vibrant colors to help embody the spirit and richness of his culture. Following the loudness of the colors is a special, intricate detail of a white line that outlines the big picture. The journey behind creating art for Morales is much more than just a fun afternoon treat but a space to embrace a culture’s connecting elements.
Melissa Mursch-Rodriguez
Mursch-Rodriguez, a Milwaukee-based fiber artist explores the realms of fiber arts by connecting them with her other passions and interests. Her art embraces the interconnection of her queer, mixed, Chicana identities. The delicate passion of her work aims to share personal experiences and emotions to create a strong sense of belonging and understanding.
In this exhibition, the Union Art Gallery goes above and beyond to illustrate that every piece of art, no matter its creator, tells a story. The pieces displayed at the gallery all showcase diverse artistic expressions that tug at the heartstrings of its viewers.
This exhibition will be at the Union Art Gallery through Oct. 31. Check out the Union Art Gallery to discover similar events or new local artwork.