Mental Spaces 2

The exhibition Mental Spaces II brings together seven artists from Latin
America residing in New York City. These artists were chosen based on
the multiple cross-cultural references in their work, all of them addressing
their experiences as immigrants. This exhibition plays on the intricate
relationships that exist between the artists’ minds and their intuitive forms
of visual expression, mostly manifested through abstraction. Two of the
participating artists are working with the reimagined body as a metaphor
to question gender and social issues. In Mental Spaces II, the use of
different materials and techniques presents a dynamic scenario that
allows for diverse perspectives, concepts, and ideas to interact
simultaneously. The works shown were selected to enable us to think
creatively and flexibly, preparing us to embark into the complexities of our
mental landscapes.
Felipe Baeza explores issues of immigration and queerness through the
representation of a hybrid body. The fantastical and the real merge
together to create a new individual free of all preconceived ideas of
identity.
Cecilia Biagini makes function abstract in a way similar to a musical
composition, incorporating three-dimensional sculptural elements to
create multiple physical spaces designed as a tool to activate one’s state
of mind. Biagini’s work is a true testament to how art affects our emotions
and well-being.
Daniel Boccato’s installations incorporate mass-produced found objects
paired with lion statues—a loaded, powerful icon in the history of art and
architecture. Thus, he plays Duchampian tricks to create diverse
narratives full of symbolism and personal memories. Boccato presents a

series he calls “faces”—large, colorful abstract shapes that are based on
existing works yet strange enough to be completely unique.
Orlando Condeso’s work is a formal exercise with guidelines for entering
into his thought process. In Orlando ́s words: “I have always been
intrigued by objects because they all have a given or acquired identity.
When confronted with an unfamiliar one, my imagination immediately
starts looking for clues to its origin, function, purpose, intrinsic value, or,
an ultimate use one could give to it. As my imagination takes full
possession of the object, its possibilities become a magical and emotional
moment.”
Aliza Nisenbaum’s portraits and flower paintings are a testament to the
lives of her subjects. Their authenticity and symbolism capture the fragility
and vulnerability of immigrant communities in the United States. Since
Nisenbaum could not meet her sitters in person due to the Covid
pandemic, she spent many hours reminiscing over her time with them and
finished their portraits from memory.
Claudia Peña Salinas’ work is composed of meticulously arranged objects
that represent cross-cultural references to her native Mexico and her time
spent in the mountains of Japan. The vernacular and the sacred are
brought together by the artist to animate her interest in political and
historical issues. Her focus on the water deity Chalchiuhtlicue creates a
deeper flow to these works.
Jonathan Sanchez Noa incorporates elements of Afro-Caribbean
practices in his work. The artist uses tobacco leaves as a substitute for
traditional art materials to make a statement about the atrocities
committed during our colonial past. His work takes a political stand
against a brutal time that must not be forgotten.