Students from diverse backgrounds showcased their artwork at the first Colors of Hope: Art Exhibition on Friday.
About 70 guests visited the Institute of Hispanic Latino Cultures building from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. to view 19 pieces of art from 10 UF student artists and to show support for diversity and multiculturalism.
The displays featured oils, acrylics, clay ceramics, chalk and colored pencil drawings. Artists hailed from Cuba, Venezuela, Colombia and the U.S.
Corey Brown, an anthropology senior, focused his artwork on the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer community. According to the event’s program, his artwork reflected his identity, his views on queer culture, and society’s views of the LBGTQ community.
Martha Calderon’s three pieces were inspired by negative stereotypes she experienced.
When Calderon moved from Colombia to the U.S., she said people discriminated against her because of her Latino background.
“My artwork was inspired by the discrimination I felt,” Calderon said. “But now with my future artwork, my inspiration is the desire to share the richness of my country and everything it has to offer.”
Melany Valderrama’s pieces were entitled “Oil and Water,” “Calor del Baile,” and “and life goes on.”
Valderrama’s “and life goes on” was a person standing face forward with a gray umbrella while several other figures faced backwards with different colored umbrellas. The figures were set in a dark, rainy city.
She said this piece symbolized her transition to the more fast-paced American way of life.
The event was free and open the public. It partnered with the Gainesville Art Walk, which occurs on the last Friday of every month and gives local artists a chance to display and advertise their work.
