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Artists Tiffany Alfonseca and Monica Hernandez will present recent paintings in this exhibition at Library Street Collective, opening September 23.
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What do you want to know: Based in downtown Detroit, Library Street Collective presents exhibitions that push boundaries and hosts public programs aimed at highlighting a wide range of artists and contributing to the growth of the local arts community. Opening this week, Library Street Collective presents an exhibition by two artists, “Tiffany Alfonseca and Monica Hernandez: found in translation.” On view through November 8, 2023, the exhibition features a dynamic selection of figurative paintings that illustrate Alfonso‘sand HernándezThe individual explorations of their Dominican heritage and engage with the history and tradition of female representation. Drawing on the visual cultures of the Dominican diaspora, as well as Black and Afro-Latino communities, the artists’ work presents a compelling investigation into ideas around identity, personal and collective histories, and the future.
Why we love it: The juxtaposition of Alfonseca and Hernandez’s paintings offers visitors to “Found in Translation” a fascinating opportunity to trace the similarities and differences between two contemporary painters with similar backgrounds. The points in common between these two artists are obvious from the start; both are based in New York, use their Dominican roots as inspiration, and work in a vivid, figurative style. However, upon closer inspection one discovers the varied nuances both in their styles and in their creative lines of inquiry. Using vibrant color fields and multimedia details, Alfonseca focuses on the individual figure – both compositionally and thematically – exploring the myriad ways in which illustrative context affects the individual’s perception . In Hernández’s paintings, the fragmentation and isolation of bodily forms offer an almost surreal interrogation of personality and environment. As both artists use vibrant colors and dynamic compositional approaches in their work, the exhibition highlights the multifaceted nature of experience and culture.
According to the Gallery: “’Found in Translation’ unites the synergistic work of two artists whose Dominican roots are at the forefront of their practices. Their shared focus on the body as a visual motif is important in dissecting the amalgam of various different cultures that uniquely constitute the Dominican diaspora. The array of women featured across the canvases – in their different skin tones, hair textures, body types – aims to visually express that the Black and Afro-Latinx diaspora does not exist within a monolith, but that these communities constitute a cultural cornucopia that is vast, varied and complex. Alfonseca and Hernandez draw in part from the stories and traditions of their ancestors to create paintings aimed at younger generations, hoping to give them a sense of visibility that was less pronounced during their own formative years.
Discover the exhibition’s key works below.
Monique Hernández, The speed of time (2023). Photo: Tim Johnson. Courtesy of the artist and Library Street Collective, Detroit.
Monique Hernández, Jungle (2023). Photo: Tim Johnson. Courtesy of the artist and Library Street Collective, Detroit.
Tiffany Alfonseca, La nena holds Poder (2023). Photo: Tim Johnson. Courtesy of the artist and Library Street Collective, Detroit.
Tiffany Alfonseca, Descontrol (sigue para lante nunca para atras) (2023). Photo: Tim Johnson. Courtesy of the artist and Library Street Collective, Detroit.
Tiffany Alfonseca, it’s not my fault (2023). Photo: Tim Johnson. Courtesy of the artist and Library Street Collective, Detroit.
“Tiffany Alfonseca and Monica Hernandez: found in translation» is on view at Library Street Collective, Detroit, from September 23 to November 8, 2023.
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