I am me and I am here
Yo soy yo y yo estoy aquí (I am here and I am me) Is an exhibit that showcases the artwork of 12 latin american teenagers. It explores the feelings related to dual identity, belonging and migration. It began with the question “What does it feel like to be Latin American in Vancouver today?”.
Under the guidance of Art Educator Carolina Aguirre, the young artists gathered for five sessions, to explore these topics through a series of creative writing and abstract painting workshops. Each session was designed with a specific objective in mind: Connecting an emotion to their migration story, representing that emotion through abstract painting, exploring the topic of belonging through affirmations, as well as expressing their values through photography and creative writing.
The journey of migration is a universal one but also very personal. In this exhibit you will discover 12 stories of belonging, friendship, community and courage.
Project Leaders
Carolina Aguirre
Carolina Aguirre is a Salvadoran Canadian Art Educator and Multi-disciplinary Artist based in Vancouver. She has a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts with a Major in Art Education from Concordia University. Her work focuses on portraiture and abstract art. Having a thirst to create, she continues to develop her own style and to find new projects in portraiture to enrich her art skills.
As a Community art educator, she is Inspired by the constructivism learning approach and gives great value to the experience she provides in each lesson. Her objective is to keep creating art education programs that can hold space for meaningful connections and conversations. Her interests are self-love, Identity and empowerment, through art.
La Libélula
La Libélula Cooperative is a collective of Spanish speaking immigrants from Latin America working toward an inclusive future for Latin American communities in British Columbia. Formed by Fiorella Pinillos, Giuliana Lira, Carolina Aguirre and Pamela Gutiérrez. They strive to increase visibility, connectedness, and engagement through events and placemaking, knowledge sharing, and consulting services (offered in Spanish and English).
Julie Bénard
Julie Bénard is a French photographer based in Vancouver. She was invited to document the creative process of this project in addition to capturing the final portraits for the exhibit. She played a major role in the creative process of session 5, where participants displayed words connected to their values. We are grateful for her work and dedication.
