Numbers for each work correspond with the numbers on the gallery map available at the front desk.
Moving forward into the gallery, the first thing you will approach is the curatorial text.
“Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Angeles” is written in a yellow, cursive, gold-plated font against a light aquamarine blue wall. Underneath to the left written in the same gold font are the exhibition dates: May 25 to July 20.
Below the exhibition dates is the curatorial text, written in a white, sans serif font.
This is the beginning of the curatorial text.
“Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Angeles, presented by OXY ARTS and Las Fotos Project 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.
Images in the exhibition range from family portraits taken in photo studios, to government IDs to snapshots from family gatherings. By presenting these varied archival submissions from Guatemalans in LA, the exhibition showcases how engaging with preservation in a way that highlights historical and social contexts allows 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.
About 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. Michelle is a Las Fotos Project alumni and current mentor.
About 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.
This exhibition and related programming are made possible by generous support from the Mellon Foundation.”
This is the end of the curatorial text. This is the last of the text on this wall.
Then, moving counter-clockwise in the gallery you will approach the first work in the gallery.
The wall label reads:
1. “Oz Vicious
Wearing Identity on Your Sleeve, 2024
Original jersey designs, custom printed in Los Angeles
Design plays a significant role in self-expression and empowerment. As a queer artist, I view my personal sense of style as a political statement, a carefully curated work of art that captures who I am. Wearing my identity on my sleeves is an act of self-determination and a declaration of pride. These jerseys were designed as an act of love and appreciation for my culture and community. Using various color schemes, textures, and "sponsors", each kit has been made to honor Guatemalan-American heritage from the perspective of first-generation Chapines growing up in LA.
This is the end of the wall label.
Wearing Identity on Your Sleeve consists of three original soccer jerseys, each encased in a display box with a light wooden frame. The display boxes are hung in a row on a wall that has a muted pink and green floral wallpaper installed. The first jersey to the left of the curatorial text is bright red with white accents. The central logo says “Picamás” in black text with a yellow outline. “Picamás” is underlined, with a star instead of a dot over the “i”. Above the central image are two smaller logos. The logo on the left says “Gallo” in large white text, and then “Cerveza” in smaller white text beneath, both of which are on top of a red trapezoid. Coming out of the top of the trapezoid is a black illustration of a rooster. The logo on the right reads “SELECCION NACIONAL GUATEMALA” in white text on top of a triangular blue shape. Under the text is a graphic depicting a filled-in white circle, two curved green lines, a small green “o”, and a red dash. The jersey to the left of the red jersey is the same shade of light blue as the Guatemalan flag, with white accents. There is one large graphic in the center of the jersey. The graphic is a cartoonish hand-drawn illustration of a bird posing with its hands interlaced and its gaze directed towards the bottom right. The bird has oversized blue eyes, a small yellow beak, pink circles of blush on the cheeks, and orange feet. The bird’s feathers are bright and lime green, with a bright red tummy. The illustration references “Tweety”, a canary in the Warner Bros. Looney Toons series, but has depicted the bird with the coloration, long tail, and claws of the national bird of Guatemala, the resplendent quetzal. The jersey to the left of this one is neon green with dark blue accents. The top two logos are exactly the same as the top two logos on the red jersey: “Gallo Cerveza” and “SELECCION NACIONAL GUATEMALA”. The large graphic in the center says “DUCAL” in bold white text. Above, printed in smaller white text is “DESDE 1969”. Between “DESDE” and “1969” is a gold graphic of a crown.
To the left of Oz Vicious, is the next piece.
The curatorial text reads:
2. “Michelle Montenegro,
Pedacitos de mi vida, 2024
Archival installation of family objects
"Pedacitos de mi vida
Historically, the archive was used as a tool to maintain power. From the time of its production to its distribution, archives reflect the decision making processes of those involved in its creation. In this way, archives claim history and politics of their own, on the terms of those who wrote it. We can ask questions including: Who created this archive? Whose stories are included? Whose aren't? Who can access this archive? Who can't?
Archive is not limited to photographic mediums. Instead, archives can be imagined through trinkets, heirlooms, jerseys, maps, jewelry, music disks etc. My family has practiced preservation of archives all my life, though not in the most conventional ways. Preservation of archives is important, as they carry documentations of our histories and realities. The following items are archival objects found along the homes of my family members—on the fridge, in my mami and papi's closet, on my family altars, in my mami's phone book, etc."
This is the end of the curatorial text.
Pedacitos de mi vida consists of various objects displayed on white shelves. The installation is on the same wallpaper as the jerseys. To the right of the curatorial text, there are three white shelves, each installed to the wall with golden, ornate hardware on either side of the shelf. The shelves are installed at different heights: the first being around mid-way up the wall; the second about 14 inches lower, and the third being the highest.
To the left of the jerseys, there is one longer white shelf jutting out from the wall. Above the long white shelf, there are two smaller shelves that are entirely ornate and golden, with organic, curving shapes very similar to the ornate hardware on the smaller white shelves. Atop these small shelves are framed photographs. The longer shelf has no golden ornate hardware.
The first item on the long white shelf is an orange envelope with various film photos sticking out depicting domestic scenes. Most of the photos are partially obscured by overlapping photographs, revealing slivers of domestic spaces and smiling children. The least obscured photo depicts children of varying ages around a birthday cake that has candles in the shape of the number “15”. The envelope is supported by a golden, ornate stand.
To the right of the envelope, a small photo album leans against the wall, open, showing two photographs. The photograph on the left shows two young girls at a park. The child on the left is smiling and aiming two water guns at the viewer while the other child looks at the first one with an amused expression. The photograph on the right shows two grown men sitting on red chairs, also at the park. They seem to be in conversation, facing one another, their poses mirroring each other; the man on the left has his right leg crossed over his left leg, and the man on the right has his left leg crossed over his right.
To the right of that is a closed photo album with a soft, stuffed cover, printed with illustrations of cartoon-ish children. To the right of that is a partially-open VH tape, with an image of a young girl wearing fancy attire. To the right of that is another soft, stuffed cover for a photo album, with frilly lace and the image of a newborn baby in the center.
The first shelf on the adjacent wall with curatorial text, displays a shiny, purple and gold trophy on the left. The white marble trophy base has a golden plaque with black bold text that spans three lines, center-aligned. The first line reads,“HOLY FAMILY H.S. GAELS,” the second line reads, “SCHOLAR ATHLETE OF THE YEAR,” and the third reads, “ALMA MONTENEGRO”. A small, golden, 3-D “11” is mounted atop the marble base. To the left of the “11” is a taller cylindrical structure with thick stripes of shiny purple and thinner stripes of iridescent gold. On top of the cylinder, a golden cross is mounted. A photo album is placed diagonally next to the trophy. The book has a slightly worn, shiny, white cover. The fabric is engraved with a subtle, abstract pattern that glints in the light. A square photograph of the same young girl wearing fancy attire from the VHS tape is displayed in the center of the book cover, with ornate, golden text reading “Mis Quince Años” engraved beneath.
The second shelf, lower than the first and to the right of it, depicts a bright red NIKE shoe box, opened to reveal a pile of photographs. The photographs on top of the pile depict family photos: a school picture of a young boy; a photo of a young boy and an older woman unwrapping presents on Christmas; a man standing in front of a trophy with the text “FÚTBOL CON TO”. Next to the shoe box, a vertical, painted, wooden sculpture leans against the wall. The paint is bright and shiny, and the wood has been cut into a slightly abstracted shape of a bird. Red and green feathers are accented with orange and lighter green lines, yellow spots, soft-edged purple stripes dotted with red, and black squiggly lines.
The third shelf contains a closed photo album, diagonally placed, with a dark blue spine that extends onto the first couple of inches of the front cover. The rest of the front cover is a floral pattern consisting of large, muted red, white, yellow, blue, and purple flowers on a pale yellow background. To the right, a small framed letter is positioned slightly in front of the free-standing photo album. The paper of the letter is aged, with splotches of brown obscuring the text a little. The text is handwritten, in cursive.
Moving on to the wall across from the wallpapered walls, is the following:
3. “Michelle Montenegro,
Fotos y Recuerdos, 2024
Collage and installation, photo book
"Growing up, my cousin Keily and I were often in the care of our neighbor Elsie while our parents were at work. Elsie lived at the apartment right above us, where she created recuerdos for weddings, quinces, birthday parties, bautizos, etc. We would accompany her to Los Callejones in Downtown Los Angeles to buy materials including ribbon, lace, gems, hot glue, and flowers. While I didn't recognize it then, Elsie was one of the first introductions I had to art. Through this installation, I honor her and her artistry.
You're invited to engage with practices of preservation by taking a photo, signing the back and adding it to this photo book!"
This is the end of the curatorial text.
Fotos y Recuerdos is an interactive installation consisting of the following from right to left: an iPad connected to a portable photo-printer and a table adorned with blue lace and an open photo album on top.
The iPad rests on the same ornate, gold stand that the yellow envelope rests on from Pedacitos de mi vida. The iPad is unlocked, with the front-facing camera open so that visitors may take photographs of themselves. Visitors are invited via a text description to print photos out using the portable printing device.
Beneath the curatorial text and to the left of the iPad is a table adorned with blue lace and an open photo album on top. Small photos of visitors can be seen in the pages of the book.
4. Guatemala in Los Ángeles
Guatemala in Los Ángeles is a collection of six framed photographs. They are installed to the wall in two rows of three. Moving from right to left, the descriptions placed to the left of each photograph read as follows:
First Photo Description
“Vanessa Tahay
mamá, hermano Elmer y yo, 2003
Totonicapán, Guatemala
This photo was taken before my mother decided to start her journey to the USA. She left me and my brother under the care of my grandmother. My mom is a wonderful woman, full of strength and dedication. Years after she decided it was time for my brother and I to also start our journey to finally be next to her warm embrace again. We collect memories by carrying our brown skin with pride and by narrating our ancestors' teachings to our new generation.”
Second Photo Description
“Evelyn Sagastume
Passport Photo, 1982
Guatemala City, Guatemala
Passport picture of myself taken in Guatemala in September 1982 when I was three months old. My family fled Guatemala and immigrated to the USA two months later due to death threats my parents received associated with the Guatemalan civil war. This exhibit resonates with me because I grew up in the U.S. as a Guatemalan citizen however I was mostly around other Latinos who were not Guatemalan. I always felt excluded and often hid my culture to help me fit in with the rest. As I grew older, I began to appreciate the uniqueness of my Guatemalan heritage and desired to learn more about my roots. Photos of my family and myself in Guatemala helped me feel more connected to my culture. Through photos I was able to nurture relationships with my family who still lived in Guatemala.”
Third Photo Description
“Emely Hernandez-Vega
Mis Abuelitos en Exposition Park, 2000
Exposition Park, Los Ángeles, CA
From La Libertad, Peten, they traveled to LA for the first time to visit my two uncles and my mom who was about to have me. They got to visit the city where three of their eleven children immigrated to. A city that had a few of their grandchildren and more to come. Los Ángeles—a city that promised a better future for their children, their children's children, and the rest of the family that was still in Guatemala.”
Now, moving from left to right, the second row off photographs have the following descriptions:
Fourth Photo Description
“Debbie Miranda
Reunited at Aurora, 2000
Airport La Aurora, Guatemala City, Guatemala
This is me and my father taking a photo at the airport in Guatemala. He was coming back from Los Ángeles. This is one of my favorite photos of us. He passed away when I was 12 so I treasure photos like this so much.”
Fifth Photo Description
“Gabriela Alaniz
All girls catholic school, 1984
Bananera Morales Izabal, Guatemala
These images showcase my mother, Violeta Argentina Grajeda Hernandez, in her teen years in 1984 Morales, Guatemala. She was a part of an all girls catholic school, which led her to continue education in college in her hometown earning a certificate in English. Soon after, my mother made her way to America in 1986 and created a life of her own. She has always shown us to appreciate where we come from and has even taken my siblings and I to her Pueblo where we saw the beauty in the uniqueness of where she got to grow up. Abundance of history, agriculture, and culture showed us to take pride in who we are and be grateful for the things we take for granted. We got to see women walking with vases of water on their heads for miles while we drove past them in the bosque. As well as tuk tuks that drove us around for just cinco quetzals, which was barely a US dollar at the time. Our history is to be preserved and cherished and with exhibitions like these, we can carry on family legacies.”
Sixth Photo Description
“Alba Gabriela Hernández
Traje tipico, 1993
Placita Olvera, Los Ángeles, CA
As a child, during every December my parents would take me to Placita Olvera to take photos of me in the latest traje tipico that my grandmother had mailed for her first granddaughter (me) from Guatemala. This is one of my favorite photos my parents have ever taken of me.”
Moving left to the wall adjacent to the wall with curatorial text.
5. Michelle Montenegro,
Empieza El Sueñito, 2022
Digital Collage, decals
The wall label reads:
“Empieza El Sueñito
This piece belongs to a larger, long-term project titled Alma Montenegro which documents my mother and her “American Dream.” It wasn't long before I discovered that the dream of hard work bringing upward mobility and success was just that, a dream. Motivated by religious beliefs, financial opportunity, and familial responsibility, my mom established a home for our family in Los Ángeles.”
Above the wall label, there is a framed art piece.
The piece is a collage of photos, maps and drawings. The central image is of a figure sitting with crossed legs in dirt, looking at the camera, wearing a red shirt and holding a stick. In the left corner, there is a black and white drawing of an anatomical heart. Beneath the heart, text reads, “Alma Coralia Montenegro”. Behind the figure, there are apartment buildings. Where the sky would be, there is instead a map. The map has text in a green section that reads, “Angeles National Forest”. In the top right corner there are a few rosaries with crosses hanging down. In the top let corner there are two overlapping family photographs of children that have had their backgrounds removed.
Surrounding this collage on the wall are various shiny, gold vinyl stickers. On the right hand side there is a simplified graphic base on the bird illustration that is printed onto the blue jersey. On the left side, there is a swirly design that is similar to the ornate golden stands and shelves mentioned prior. There are also vinyl stars and pointy abstract shapes.
Turning 90 degrees to the right and then walking through the entrance to the large gallery.
6. Michelle Montenegro
Rooted in Palencia, Guatemala: Cantón Rincon de la Piedra y Cantón Agua Tibia, 2022
Original photographs and reproductions of family photos, framed Palencia jersey
The wall text on the wall directly to the right reads:
“Rooted in Palencia, Guatemala: Cantón Rincon de la Piedra y Cantón Agua Tibia
My dad has always been a huge soccer fanatic. He tells stories about falling in love with the sport as a young child in Guatemala, playing alongside his 7 siblings. Eventually, my older sister Vany grew a love for the sport, and my dad would take her to every game. He says,
‘Lo que te puedo decir es que empecé a jugar a los 12 años con un equipo que se llamaba Las Ovejas, eran del Canto Ojo de Agua. Luego, jugué con un equipo de mi Cantón Rincón de La Piedra que se llamaba Los Venados. Todo el tiempo mi posición era defensa. Ya más grande, jugaba contra mis hermanos que estaban en otros equipos en el campo del Pueblo. Finalmente, cuando me vine a los Estados Unidos, ya fue poco tiempo el que jugué. Me dio mucha alegría ver a Vany jugar. Pues yo cuando era joven también jugaba y otra cosa su posición que jugaba era defensa como yo.’
Similar to my dad’s relationship to soccer, my mom loved playing basketball. In this photo, she is in Guatemala posing alongside her cousins in a jersey that represents the municipality of Palencia, specifically Canton Agua Tibia, where she’s from. She says, “Yo daba la vida para jugar basket, era mi pasión.” I have vivid memories of my cousins and I watching my mom and my Tia Aleyda play basketball at Shatto Park in Koreatown.”
This is the end of the wall text.
The piece consists of four golden-framed photographs and one framed jersey, installed to the wall on top of a rectangle of the same wallpaper from the small gallery. This patch of wallpaper does not span the whole wall, and where there is no wallpaper, the wall is white. Moving from left to right, the first photograph depicts a soccer team, posing in two rows. The next photograph depicts a man sitting in a high-chair in a living room, in front of a couch. Next to that is a framed orange jersey with blue accents. On the jersey, there are three rows of large logos. The first logo is red text outlined in white that reads “LLANRESA”. The text beneath is green with white outlines and reads “BANRURAL”. The third line has a badge with a graphic of a landscape within it. There is blue text with white outline next to the badge reading, “MUNI PALENCIA.” Beneath that, in smaller text, it reads “¡Somos desarrollo!” The photograph next to the jersey is of a woman posing in front of a home, holding a towel, keys, and coffee. There is an orange cat by her feet and it is a sunny day. To the right of that, there is a photograph of six female athletes posing in front of a mountain landscape, in two rows.
Moving on to the adjacent wall to the left.
7. Guatemala in Los Ángeles Archive
Reproductions of photographs and home videos submitted by community members, 1945-2024
The wall text reads:
“Guatemala in Los Ángeles Archive
This is a collection of family photos submitted by Guatemalans in Los Ángeles, dating from 1945 - 2024. Each photo carries a story of its own, documenting migration, hardship, celebration and love. Together they represent the diverse histories of the Guatemalan diaspora.
You’re invited into an immersive experience of the Guatemalan diaspora making home in Los Ángeles, combining family photo archives with video and sound elements. Preserving stories in this way allows for our community to take ownership of our histories and experiences.
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”
This is the end of the wall text.
This art piece consists of 18 framed photographs of varying sizes installed to a white wall. The types of photos include graduation photos, wedding photos, birthday celebration photos, and family portraits. They are all in golden frames. One of the larger frames depicts three women of different ages but who look similar from the torso up. They are all smiling, looking at the camera. They all wear similar shirts with complex textile patterns. Another larger frame is a black and white photograph of a man and a woman. The woman wears a dress and carries a bouquet in her hands. The man looks more serious, wearing a black suit. Another of the larger frames depicts a scene of 10 people gathered around a cake with a number 1 candle on it. Some of the people are young children, a few are adults. They all look excited with smiles. There is a child wearing a birthday cone hat with frosting covering their face. The last of the larger frames shows a woman in a graduation cap and gown. She is centered in the frame, standing in a grass field with some trees behind her. She is smiling at the camera, posing with several large, green balloons, one of which says "Congrats grad."
The second portion of this piece is found on the other side of the gallery room.
There are two walls that come out of the corner of the space on which are mounted three more photographs for this piece.
The wall text for the first image reads:
"Zully Juares,
Emaly Escobar
Zully Juares, age 25, and Maria Gaspar Juan, age 96, holding hands. Maria is Zully's great-grandmother, 2018.
South Central, Los Ángeles."
"In 2018 my great-grandmother and I participated in the Maya Womxn in LA exhibit with Las Fotos Project. Doing this photoshoot was my way of honoring her and by doing so I was reminded of my own strength and Maya ancestry, 'we are daughters of great grandmothers who will eternally live on through the universe of our textiles.' She passed away two years after this but this photo and experience with her is something I will hold deeply in my heart."
This is the end of the wall text.
The photograph is oriented landscape-style and depicts the hands of two people. The hands coming from below have their palms facing up, holding the hands of the other person who's palms face down. The younger hands coming from below are a lighter skin tone, with their nails painted a light pink. The hands coming from the top of the image are older, as seen by the wrinkles and veins. On each hand there are rings on each middle finger. Behind the hands is a colorful, rainbow plaid textile.
The next photograph is found to the right of this one. The wall text reads:
"Deanna Barahona
Dorís y Sonia, 1993 or 1994
San Fernando Valley, Los Ángeles"
"My mother Doris (right) and her sister Sonia (left). There is no fate but it is guessed to be between 1993-1994. They are the youngest children of twelve and the last ones of the family to migrate to Los Ángeles in 1989 from Guatemala as teenage girls. They stuck together through teenhood and took care of each other while navigating a new home and life. They had photoshoots often where they got ready just to take pictures inside the house and this is just one of the hundred of photos of themselves that they documented of their teenhood."
This is the end of the wall text.
This photograph is of two teen girls. They both have curly brown hair, wear red lipstick, a white shirt, and a black bracelet or watch on their left hands. The one on the right has a necklace with a cross on it. They are looking directly at the camera, with serious/neutral expressions on their faces. Behind them is a wall with wooden panels and two photographs that are mounted to the wall. It appears that the girl on the right has her arm around the girl on the left.
The next photograph is around the corner on the adjacent wall.
The wall text reads:
"Kimberly Alvarado
Picture day, colgada en la sala de mi abuelita, 2000
South Central, Los Ángeles"
"Picture day in LA, this photo is of me in the 5th grade. My mom let me get the E-girl mechones from the beauty salon inside our local lavanderia in South Central back in Y2K. I felt so cool, I even did my trenzitas for that day.
I brought back my school pictures and my mom purchased some and sent them to my grandma in Guate. This photo currently lives in my Grandma's living room on a wall of photos. I am also sharing the frame with my cousin, Nestor Antonio who is now a famous dancer and dance instructor in Guate.
As a first gen chapina, raised by a single woman who migrated to LA, it was a matriarchal experience that I will never let go of. It is beautiful, but difficult to uphold in a patriarchal society. Pero todavia estoy aqui, challenging social norms just by being unapologetically me y con mis flores bien merecidas."
This is the end of the wall text.
This piece is a photograph of a photograph. In the image, the photograph is mounted on a green wall by a wooden frame. There is a young girl, posing with a small bouquet of flowers in her hands. She is wearing a long-sleeve white shirt underneath a black tank. She is smiling with her mouth closed, and looks directly at the camera. There are two blonde streaks in her otherwise dark brown hair, and two small braids on either side of her face. Slightly obstructed by a glare in the photograph, there is a smaller photograph in the top right corner of the wooden frame of a boy wearing a black cap and gown.
The next piece is found on the wall adjacent to the left.
The curatorial text reads:
8. “Michelle Montenegro,
Montenegro Archives: 1990-2005
Original photographs, digital collages and reproduction of family photos."
The wall text reads:
“My family photos have always served as an inspiration for me. These archives serve as a representation of my family's life during the years 2005 and prior, navigating life following their migration journey from Guatemala to Los Ángeles, California. Looking back at these images always feels so special. It reminds me of the community I grew up with and relied on. Cameras were exchanged among my family members, so every photo has a documentor of its own. Alongside archives, I included my personal documentation of my family in Guatemala and Los Ángeles.”
This is the end of the wall text.
This piece consists of 23 framed photographs mounted to the wall. Most photographs are portraits of people, however some are collages, including one that has photos of two large buses, a house plant, an angel decoration with a rosary draped to it, and an image of a storefront, alongside two images with two different women posing at the same storefront. Another image, framed by a gold picture frame, is an enlarged image of a note that says "Dorys: Para ti con mucho cariño. Tu hermana: Elvira." Another photograph, framed by a wooden picture frame, shows an image of a small white house surrounded by grass and trees. Of the portraits, the images showcase a variety of people, from many different ages, and doing different activities. Some seem more staged, including one of a woman with a plain white background staring directly at the camera, of one of a young woman with black hair, light makeup, wearing pearl earrings, a pearl necklace, and white gloves, poses with a soft smile for the camera. Other images are scenes from real life, such as birthdays, weddings, births, or family parties, or other everyday occurrences. One of the larger portraits is of a woman lying sideways on a blanket, surrounded by grass, and palm trees visible in the background. Below this image is a photograph shot from above someone's bed, with a woman with her hand on her forehead, looking tired. There are two images that depict birthday party scenes: in each image, there is a colorful cake with candles, and children surrounding the cake with paint or frosting on their face, wearing birthday cone hats, wearing colorful clothing. Other images include a group of 6 women wearing the same, yellow and green sports jersey. Each photo is unique in its depiction of person, place, and context.
To the right on the adjacent wall, a video is projected onto the wall showing slightly fuzzy, aged footage from a variety of scenes from a wedding. One clip is of a procession of people walking down a church aisle, another is of the married couple swaying slowly. This clip is overlaid with constantly changing images of people and their names written in a yellow serif font.
The next piece is on two walls that come out of the wall that is adjacent to the left of the previous piece.
The curatorial text reads:
9. “Michelle Montenegro,
727 S Serrano Ave. Apt 10, 2024
Mixed Media immersive installation.
This is the end of the curatorial text.
This piece is a large installation of a living room scene. It is on top of two carpets, one larger grey-blue carpet underneath a fluffier, wine red carpet. Within the total installation is a wooden living room table, an ironing board, a glass tiered table, another tiered rack containing house plants, a large floral couch, curtain panes, and a crucifix hanging above.
On the wooden table, there are picture frames, candles with the Virgen Maria, smaller picture frames, small decorative statues of angels, small glass vials with clippings of house plants, two wallets with floral embroidery, and a doily. To the right, is the blue ironing board with a rusted iron on top, and an embroidered red shirt. To the left, behind the ironing board, is the tiered glass table. On it is a radio and a book of CDs, small pots with flowers, a picture frame of a young boy, and various greeting cards. Behind the table is a lamp that is turned on and lit.
To the left of the lamp is the large couch on which gallery visitors are welcomed to sit. It is a beige color with flowers embroidered. There are two pillows with the same pattern, and a lace covering in the center. To the left of the couch is a white rack holding three house plants on each of its tiers. Behind the couch is a set of curtain panels hanging from the ceiling. Above the curtain panels is a crucifix with a depiction of Jesus, wearing a white cloth around his waist.
This is the end of the screen reader guide.