Permeable Boundaries

Permeable Boundaries spotlights Saatchi Art artists who foreground Hispanic and Latino American identities, cultures, and experiences in their work. With a focus on US-based artists, this exhibition takes its name, Permeable Boundaries, from a phenomenon seen across these artists’ practices: the act of navigating multiple cultures, and exploring the notion of identity as it is shaped by factors that cross cultural boundaries.

Many of these artists contemplate the meeting of distinct cultures. Carlos Gamez de Francisco explores the influence of Soviet academic painting in his native Cuba, and, more generally, themes of imperial power and opulence through his figurative works. Rodrigo Jimenez-Ortega smartly compares and contrasts Mexican visual culture with that of American cartoons and video games, while Arantxa Rodriguez celebrates the interrelationship of her Mexican heritage and Buddhist practice.

Others more broadly contemplate their lived experiences in light of contemporary politics and cultural norms—from Francisco Palomares, who visually reflects upon the changing landscape of his native Los Angeles, and its resultant economic and cultural disparities, to Maria Cochez, who seeks to challenge beauty standards and class systems in her work.  

Altogether, the works in Permeable Boundaries reflect the complexities, obstacles, traditions, and rich cultures that shape Hispanic and Latino American life in the US today.

Organized by assistant curator Bethany Fincher on the occasion of National Hispanic Heritage Month, a national holiday honoring the cultures, contributions, and achievements of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States.

View full collection here.