Opening Reception | Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Ángeles

May 25, 2024 | 6:00pm TO 8:00pm

Reception

Join us for the opening reception of Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Ángeles, presented by Las Fotos Project and OXY ARTS.

Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Ángeles explores the importance of community image making and archives. The exhibition features over 100 personal photographs submitted by community members who are part of the Guatemalan diaspora in Los Angeles, the largest community of its kind outside of Guatemala. Alongside the community archive are original photographs, personal family archives and installations by Michelle Montenegro, an LA based Guatemalan American photographer and Las Fotos alumni and mentor. Together these works document diverse stories, touching on themes of migration, historical contexts, community preservation practices, and the power of storytelling.

Presenting varied archival submissions from Guatemalans in LA, the exhibition showcases how family photos and archives allow many communities of color to reclaim often forgotten or destroyed histories and stories that make up their distinct identities. The Guatemalan diaspora in LA does not belong to a monolithic story. However, individual experiences of those making home in LA are undeniably interconnected–each an extension of the other. The collection of photographs, objects, and archives brings feelings of comfort and familiarity to the Guatemalan diaspora in LA, but also reminds us of our power as a collective, in solidarity, despite our individual, sometimes disparate, struggles.

Thank you for your meaningful contributions to this archive: Alba Gabriela Hernández, Ariadne Makridakis Arroyo, Ashley Estrada, Aylin Gonzalez, Bayron Perez, Deanna Barahona, Debbie Miranda, Emely Guevara, Emely Hernandez-Vega, Emijoy Victoria Mejia, Emily Castro, Evelyn Sagastume, Gabriela Alaniz & Violeta Hernandez, Guatemaya L.A. Mujeres en Resistencia (Victor Interiano of Dichos de un bicho), Gustavo Adolfo Guerra Vásquez, Jeanette Ponce, Jennifer Cabrera, Jennifer Guzman, Joselin Medina, Josue Monterroso, Julian Montenegro, Karla Alvarado Goldberg, Katherine Monterroso, Kimberly Alvarado, Kiria Fuentes Godinez, Stephen & Paul Charouhas, Luis Lopez, Mara Mark, Maria Belen Rodriguez, Max Christopher Gomez Diaz, Mayán Alvarado Goldberg, Miguel Arroyo, Mileena Sosa, Nuria Gordillo (Familia Gordillo Santizo), Romario Cruz, Socorro Galindo, Sonia & Walter Guevara, Steph Maldonado, Suany Quinonez, Vanessa Tahay, Yenis Gonzalez, and Zully Juarez & Emaly Escobar.

Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Ángeles is generously funded by the Mellon Foundation.

Collage of different family photographs and badges on a blue background

About the artists

Las Fotos Project

Las Fotos Project’s mission is to elevate the voices of teenage girls and gender-expansive youth from communities of color through photography and mentoring, empowering them to channel their creativity for the benefit of themselves, their community, and future careers.

Las Fotos Project was launched to provide opportunities for those who are both systemically and socially silenced to make themselves heard and, in the process, advocate for social change and create their own pathways to successful, creative futures. Our program model further reinforces photography’s inherent ability to spark introspection, evoke deeper meaning, and serve as a catalyst for change by placing students at the heart of social justice efforts in their respective communities.

www.lasfotosproject.org

Michelle Montenegro

Michelle Montenegro(she/her/ella) is a Los Angeles-based mixed-media artist. Her work is informed by the social and historical contexts that influence the various layers of her identity and experiences. In this approach, Michelle’s work focuses on issues relating to capitalism, migration, family ties, and intergenerational trauma within communities of color. Through honest storytelling and the photographic perspective, she aims to redistribute power to her subjects and communities.

Michelle is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California majoring in Non-governmental Organizations and Social Change and minoring in Law and Public Policy. Her goal is to pursue a Masters in Urban Planning at USC’s Price School of Public Policy. She is a Las Fotos Project alumni and current mentor. In 2023, Michelle was recognized as the recipient of the Las Fotos Project Foto Awards’ Youth Advocacy Award for her use of photojournalism towards community advocacy and social justice efforts.