Maitland art exhibit reflects the ‘post immigrant experience’
FLORIDA:A new exhibit at the Art and History Museums — Maitland reckons with identity, displacement and heritage through the eyes of three Central Florida painters. “In Between: Painting the Post Immigrant Experience” features the work of Mär Martinez, Leo Cordovi and MJ Torrecampo, who all graduated from the undergraduate art programme at UCF. This exhibition features the work of three extraordinary painters, Cuban-born Leo Cordovi, Filipino-born MJ Torrecampo, and Syrian American Mär Martinez. The resulting three visual narratives of the post immigration experience all unite to form a picture of modern American identity. Through explorations of memory, resilience, family, and sanctuary, these artists are redefining themselves in a space between seemingly opposing cultural forces. This sense of evolving identity, like the brushstrokes of their paintings, is layered and reworked by time.
The artists also share in common their status as “Artists in Action,” with studio space on the Maitland campus, and their exploration of cultural sense of place through painting. “There’s an idea of displacement that I think everyone experiences, whether or not you’ve been transported from the place you came from,” Martinez said.
Ater passing through an opening gallery showing pieces from all three artists, the work of Martinez is displayed in a narrow space resembling a chapel with paintings hung where one might typically see stained glass windows. On one end, the subjects are animals locked in power struggles and the other side features sculptural paintings of carpets and textiles.
“My dad is from Cuba, my mom is from Syria and they both had to leave their countries due to political unrest or persecution,” Martinez said. “One of the few remnants they brought with them were these carpets, these family heirlooms.”
The subjects of these paintings aren’t displayed on a canvas but are highlighted in intense colours on wood that’s been cut out. “I wanted them to feel like they were removed or ripped away from their context, so they become instantly more vulnerable than when something is contained in a canvas,” Martinez said. “Even though (my parents) lived their life as very assimilated on the outside and tried to shrink themselves down as an act of self-preservation, this is what remained.” In the adjacent room, a large painting takes a formidable presence in the room, showing tall trees against a red backdrop. Other, smaller works on paper and canvas have a similar color palete and subject mater, but they’re not meant to be regarded as traditional landscape paintings.
“Just because I paint landscapes, I don’t necessarily have to categorize myself as a landscape painter. It’s way more metaphorical,” Cordovi said. “These come from within.”
Cordovi, who moved to the United States from Cuba when he was 15, had to navigate cultural and language barriers, facing anxiety with seemingly simple tasks like going to the store. In a few years, he’ll have spent as much time in the U.S. as he did in Cuba and is reckoning with his identity as that milestone approaches.
“These deal with very human feelings we have when going through this process of discovery,” he said. “All of these, in a way, represent a passage that you’re going through.”
In the final gallery space imbued with natural light, the work of MJ Torrecampo takes the spotlight. The Filipino-born painter shows a unique perspective in her work as she paints from an angle above the subjects.
“When I tried to think of past events and memories, I always kind of saw myself from right outside my body a litle bit,” Torrecampo said. “I was kind of above the memory. That’s kind of how that perspective developed.”
One ongoing series focuses on the painter’s relationship with her father, who she has spent more time with since moving back to Orlando last year. “I have these past and current identities that clash with me moving back to Orlando. I’m trying to figure out my relationship with my dad, who isn’t really very vocal,” Torrecampo said. “We don’t have a relationship that’s really built on conversation or words.”
Dan Hess, the museum’s chief curator, said that the exhibit was curated in a way that helps the work tell a story in intimate gallery spaces. “We’re all processing this post-immigrant experience. We all come from different aspects of this multifaceted story,” he said. “The whole exhibition design is to give that sense of being between as well.”
“In Between: Painting the Post Immigrant Experience” is on view through Jan. 22 at 231 W. Packwood Avenua. in Maitland. Art and History Museums of Maitland is a premier Central Florida cultural destination and community gathering place, combining the best of both art and history. A&H is home to four unique museums: the Maitland Historical Museum, the Telephone Museum, the Waterhouse Residence & Carpentry Shop Museum, and the Maitland Art Center (the only National Historic Landmark in greater Orlando). A&H is also home to a variety of art classes and workshops, as well as two artist residency programs.