Through the Lens: The Photography Narratives of MN Latinx Immigrants

Andrés Pérez, Dos Mundos, digital photograph, 2023.

Serpentina Arts (SA) is a collective of Minnesota-based Latinx visual artists dedicated to fostering creative and professional development throughout their community. Nurturing a sense of solidarity, SA supports artists at every stage of their careers and helps them achieve their professional aspirations through collective action.

SA received a 2023-2024 residency with the Liberal Arts Engagement Hub (The Hub), a space committed to promoting public engagement and strengthening civil society by forming meaningful, reciprocal partnerships with the community and addressing critical social issues. As part of their Hub residency, Serpentina Arts partnered with the Department of Chicano & Latino Studies (CLS) to gain knowledge on oral history, archives, and collections. As the project developed, SA also collaborated with the Department of Art, and the Immigration History Research Center. 

Together, they spearheaded a powerful initiative that brings together eleven Latinx immigrant photographers from Minnesota to share their stories through a unique blend of photography and oral history. Serpentina Arts is set to debut an exhibition titled Viewfinders/Miradores which will be on display from September 10 through October 5 at the Regis Quarter Gallery.

Sebastian Alfonzo Manzo, the Serpentina Arts program manager and recent alum (BA ‘21, Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature and Studies in Cinema and Media Culture), has played a pivotal role in organizing this initiative. With a deep interest in working collaboratively with the photographers of the Serpentina Arts community, Alfonzo embarked on the project with the hope of building stronger relationships within the group. He is also one of the eleven artists whose photography will be shown at the exhibition. 

A Collaborative Vision

The initiative, titled Photography Narratives of MN Latinx Immigrants, invited each artist to select a significant image from their portfolio and engage in oral histories with Alfonzo, where they discussed the materials, locations, and stories behind their work. “All that support the UofM has given us all throughout, I don’t think this [exhibition] would’ve been possible [without them] because it’s not just this Hub residency,” Alfonzo says. “This Hub residency is the latest in a series of opportunities, projects, and collaborations between our community of artists and the University of Minnesota.” These conversations, recorded and preserved as oral historic documents, add depth to the narratives of each photograph.

The project culminated in the Viewfinders/Miradores exhibition where a diverse array of pieces will be showcased, including abstract art, landscapes, and portraits. This range of work reflects the rich and varied experiences of the photographers. “When I say Latinx art, that doesn’t mean one thing. That can mean a million things,” Alfonzo states.

This exhibition is driven by several core objectives that seek to enrich both the community and the University. The project aims to create a multimedia collection of recorded conversations and photographs that preserves and shares the diverse artwork of Latinx photographers in Minnesota.

It also aims to foster camaraderie and dialogue among the participating photographers, while increasing the visibility of Serpentina Arts. “It’s been incredible to get to know all these photographers on a deeper level.” Alfonzo remarks. “I’ve learned a lot about why people make the things they make and how they make them.” Additionally, the initiative provides professional development opportunities for the artists.

Broadening Perspectives 

Photography Narratives is more than an exhibition—it’s a vibrant exploration of identity, culture, and the diverse experiences that shape the Latinx community. As the artists delve into their personal archives and expand on their most resonant works, the project not only fosters connections within the artistic community but also broadens our understanding of what Latinx art can represent. 

“I think people are becoming more aware about the diversity within the Latinx community, but I remember when I first moved here—when I was five years old,” Alfonzo recalls. “Everybody would just assume that I was Mexican. My culture, the Venezuelan culture, is very different from Mexican culture. My experience is really different. So that’s just another goal of the project,” he explains. “To broaden people’s perspectives of what Latinx artwork and what Latinx culture actually is. When I say Latinx art, that doesn’t mean one thing.”

Here to Stay 

Serpentina Arts as a community has been a part of the Twin Cities since Maria Cristina Tavera, Arts Director, founded the organization in 2010. However, Alfonzo emphasizes the importance of recognizing that they’re not the first of its kind. “They [SA] come from a history of people organizing to bring together this Latinx visual art community,” he says. “It’s this idea of, look, we're here. We have this presence, and if we help each other we can get more opportunities and push each other forward.”

As Viewfinders/Miradores opens its doors, Serpentina Arts invites the community to engage deeply with the stories behind each photograph, encouraging a more empathetic and nuanced understanding of the people and experiences they represent. Through this project, Serpentina Arts not only showcases the talent and diversity within the Latinx community but also asserts their enduring presence in Minnesota’s cultural landscape.

 “We’re here, and we’re making things you should care about.”

This story was written by Regina Ramos-Francia Ylizaliturri, an undergraduate student in CLA.