Gallery 2022

Outside the Shell -

2022 Gallery

In 2022, 11 young artists from the Black/African-American and AAPINH community worked to create a series of art pieces that represent their individual and collective experience with trans-generational trauma as a person of color in New Mexico. This collection of works which we call Outside the Shell showcases the experiences and identity of these young Black/African-American and AAPINH artists. Outside the Shell was conceived from Zora Neale Hurston’s words: “The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell” and Grace Lee Boggs’ notion of love: “Love isn’t about what we did yesterday; it’s about what we do today and tomorrow and the day after.” 

Scroll down to learn more about each of the artists and view their art.

Asset 1

"The present was an egg laid by the past that had the future inside its shell."

- Zora Neale Hurston, Author

Asset 2

"Love isn't about what we did yesterday; it's about what we do today and tomorrow and the day after."

- Grace Lee Boggs

The Artists and their Artwork

Isa Figueroa, 23

she/her

Filipino/Puerto Rican

Some of the trauma I hold is not fully mine.

This work is a tool

to heal

memories

I can’t remember,

to nurture the child still in me.

 

Medium: acrylic paint, posca marker, prismacolor

Prajeeta Dahal, 16

she/her

Asian-American

Self-Portrait

My art is a projection of growing up in an Asian household where generational trauma is like a burden you bear and constantly think of. It portrays the sadness and loneliness of dealing with something you don’t know how to share. It’s a self-portrait where I used paints on a canvas.

Lujayn Ghweir, 21

she/her

Middle Eastern (Levantine)/North African

سيدو | Sido | Grandfather

This piece is a portrayal of my experiences and heritage as a daughter of Palestine. Pictured is my grandfather, Ismail Al-Syam. The Shami (Levantine) narrative is often dominated by those who tell us how and what we should express. However, my piece tells the story of a tragedy not because that is all it is to be Palestinian, but because that is the segment I am presenting.

Kai Warrior, 19

she/her

Black

I Can't Erase This

Throughout the pandemic, I’ve allowed myself to really sit with the effects colorism has had on my perception of myself, from childhood until now.

How, as I’ve grown, it has pushed me to be meek and I’ve agreed.

It has made me desire to be

invisible when I know I was

the exact opposite as a child.

So, what changed?

Floretta Stewart, 17

she/her

Multiracial (Afro-Cubano)

Inbetween

I want this piece to represent my art as a whole. I tried to accomplish that by putting imagery that you can see in my other works as well. I make art to communicate my soul and pain that I feel so strongly, that people just don’t understand by being with me. I used oil paints and just tried to explore the medium. My art tends to be heavy in references to many things. The ones in this painting include Jim Carol (especially want the angel), The Matrix (1999), & Nirvana’s In Utero.

Ané Careaga-Coleman

they/them

Afro-Latiné

“Fruits Basket serves as a message of hope that healing from generational trauma is possible if one is willing to do work on an individual level.”

My idea stems from the relationship between the African-American and East Asian communities through the exchange of African-American and Asian pop culture. My film is about the depiction of trans-generational trauma through the anime Fruits Basket. In my film, I analyze characters whose experience parallels the real-life experience of Black people experiencing trans-generational trauma in the United States, proving that overcoming trans-generational trauma is possible.

Anna Shibuya, 20

Japanese/Filipino

Metamorphosis

To turn barriers into an opportunity for growth and healing.

To reclaim ownership over the hardships of my ancestors.

To grow up alone and then outstretch your arms to embrace those who you see yourself in.

 

Medium: barbed wire, clay, beads

Duc Pham, 14

he/him

Asian-American (Vietnamese)

Neon Street

My project is a 3D animation/time-lapse created in Blender 3.0.

In light of the recent shootings at Wonderful Massage and Canna Spa here in Albuquerque early 2022, I wanted to create a piece that highlighted Asian hate during the pandemic.

The night in my animation represents past events, with graffiti and broken glass. The day represents an optimistic future, adorned with flowers. I’m hopeful that in the future, Asian hate (hate in general) can be a thing of the past.

Asmi Bhandari, 14

any pronouns

South Asian (Nepali)

Sculpture of my Culture

My sculpture is of an environment that is going through a renaissance, and new life. My inspiration is to give hope to newer generations by showing that you can stop intergenerational trauma from cycling.

My work was made from clay, wire, wood, and acrylic paint. I just used the wire to hold up some of the clay parts, and I used the acrylic paint as watercolor too. My work is more of a concept, rather than a person. I used some symbols to show Nepali culture.

Hasti Pannah, 13

she/her

Asian-American

Me

As a young artist in my art, I like to show my emotions and spirit without words. I make what I make because it helps me calm down, and it makes me feel like myself. My life says that my art is a way of understanding the world, and figuring myself out. Some symbolism in my painting is the person inside of the head represents me being overwhelmed and exhausted, and it helps me have a deeper understanding of what is going on.

Lumina Tami, 17

she/her

Bi-racial (Swiss/Kenyan)

Who We Are

My goal with this project is to bring light to the voices that are unheard in our day to day life. To share peoples’ stories and to let the world listen to what they have to say. I hope to do more of this in my future films, and I believe that leaving an impact through art is one of the most powerful things you can do.

Archive of

2022 Events

True NM 2022 Artist Exhibition (May 28th, 2022)
True NM 2022 at OffCenter for the Arts, Albuquerque Artwalk (July 8th, 2022)
True NM 2022 at Explora (July 20th, 2022-August 15th, 2022)
True NM 2022 at Uplift Open House (August 16th, 2022)
True NM 2022 at Families United for Education

2022 Support

Provided By

This collection of work was supported by the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund (2021-2022 Anti-Racism and Intersectional Justice Grant) and the New Mexico Humanities Council.

Quick Links

NMAFC

505-717-2877
info@nmafc.org

NMBLC

505-407-6784
info@nmblc.org
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