{"id":1837354,"date":"2026-03-20T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T21:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1837354"},"modified":"2026-03-20T00:00:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-19T21:00:00","slug":"let-us-gather-in-a-flourishing-way-convenes-58-artists-to-survey-contemporary-latinx-painting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1837354","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\u2019 Convenes 58 Artists to Survey Contemporary Latinx Painting"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"entry-content prose-colossal max-w-none\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull is-style-default entry-header is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"colo-post-featured-image wp-block-post-featured-image\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1101\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/patrickmartinez-cropped.jpg\" class=\"attachment-post-thumbnail size-post-thumbnail wp-post-image\" alt=\"an abstracted landscape painting by Patrick Martinez with mixed media elements such as neon, photo collages, ceramic tile, and a tarp banner\" style=\"object-fit:cover\"><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Patrick Martinez, \u201cPromised Land\u201d (2022), acrylic, stucco, neon, Mean Streak, ceramic, spray paint, latex house paint, banner tarp, ceramic tile, tile adhesive, and family archive photo collage on panel, 84 x 192 x 7 inches. Photo by Yubo Dong, ofstudio photography, courtesy of Charlie James Gallery<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group post-title is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-0bc941e6 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h1 class=\"alignfull wp-block-post-title\">\u2018Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\u2019 Convenes 58 Artists to Survey Contemporary Latinx Painting<\/h1>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-meta is-layout-flex wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-date\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-20T09:50:08-05:00\">March 20, 2026<\/time><\/div>\n<div class=\"taxonomy-category wp-block-post-terms\"><a class=\"category-art\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/category\/art\/\" rel=\"tag\">Art<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-post-author-name\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/author\/jandres\/\" target=\"_self\" class=\"wp-block-post-author-name__link\">Jackie Andres<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-group alignfull post-share-group is-layout-flow wp-block-group-is-layout-flow\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-nowrap is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-6c531013 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing has-visible-labels has-icon-color is-style-logos-only is-layout-flex wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-is-layout-flex\">\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-facebook has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.thisiscolossal.com%2F2026%2F03%2Flet-us-gather-in-a-flourishing-way%2F&amp;title=%26%238216%3BLet%20Us%20Gather%20In%20a%20Flourishing%20Way%27%20Convenes%2058%20Artists%20to%20Survey%20Contemporary%20Latinx%20Painting\" aria-label=\"Share\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tShare\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<li style=\"color: #1c1e0d\" class=\"outermost-social-sharing-link outermost-social-sharing-link-mail has-crow-color wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/cdn-cgi\/l\/email-protection#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\" aria-label=\"Email\" class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-anchor\"><br \/>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"wp-block-outermost-social-sharing-link-label \"><br \/>\n\t\t\tEmail\t\t<\/span><br \/>\n\t<\/a>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><button class=\"simplefavorite-button preset\" data-postid=\"470925\" data-siteid=\"1\" data-groupid=\"1\" data-favoritecount=\"0\"><i class=\"sf-icon-bookmark\"><\/i>Bookmark<\/button>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>On the top floor of <a href=\"https:\/\/buffaloakg.org\/art\/exhibitions\/let-us-gather-flourishing-way-english\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Buffalo AKG Art Museum<\/a>\u2019s Gundlach Building, a vast body of work from 58 artists comes together for <em>Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way<\/em>. The impressive ensemble is both a survey of contemporary Latinx painting and a lively dialogue between a spectrum of artists with diverse backgrounds, experiences, identities, languages, and creative mediums.<\/p>\n<p><em>Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way<\/em> is a major exhibition that has slowly unfolded over the course of several years. Curator Andrea Alvarez\u2014the architect and driving force behind the project\u2014has spent much of this time immersed in research and collaborating closely with each artist throughout the process, refining every detail of the show.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-1.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"Eamon Ore-Giron, \u201cTalking Shit with Illapa (variation I)\u201d (2023), mineral paint and Flashe on canvas, 72 inches \u00d7 96 1\/8 inches. Photo by Brenda Bieger\" data-rl_title=\"Eamon Ore-Giron, \u201cTalking Shit with Illapa (variation I)\u201d (2023), mineral paint and Flashe on canvas, 72 inches \u00d7 96 1\/8 inches. Photo by Brenda Bieger\" data-rl_caption=\"Eamon Ore-Giron, \u201cTalking Shit with Illapa (variation I)\u201d (2023), mineral paint and Flashe on canvas, 72 inches \u00d7 96 1\/8 inches. Photo by Brenda Bieger\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1490\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-1.jpg\" alt=\"an abstract painting by Eamon Ore-Giron\" class=\"wp-image-471335\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Eamon Ore-Giron, \u201cTalking Shit with Illapa (variation I)\u201d (2023), mineral paint and Flashe on canvas, 72 inches \u00d7 96 1\/8 inches. Photo by Brenda Bieger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The exhibition\u2019s title alludes to former U.S. poet laureate <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poetryfoundation.org\/poets\/juan-felipe-herrera\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Juan Felipe Herrera<\/a>\u2019s titular <a href=\"https:\/\/www.poetryfoundation.org\/poems\/52283\/let-us-gather-in-a-flourishing-way\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">poem<\/a>. Oscillating between English and Spanish while employing lush imagery of flora and fauna, the poem itself\u2014like the survey\u2014is an exuberant celebration of community and cultural convergence. He writes:<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>cielo de calor and wisdom to meet us<br \/>where we toil siempre<br \/>in the garden of our struggle and joy<br \/>let us offer our hearts a saludar our \u00e1guila rising<br \/>freedom<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>The show traces this poetic rhythm in its spatial design. Herrera\u2019s stanzas greet visitors at each entrance and throughout its galleries, establishing tone and providing context for what lies ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Although the exhibition is organized into seven themes, Alvarez highlights its intrinsically flowing nature, noting that even if the collection were rearranged, the show would still hold together. In a walkthrough, it became clear that space was central to the viewing experience, leaving room for visitors to engage with the works on their own terms, much like the exhibition\u2019s overarching focus on gathering and bolstering free-flowing conversation.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moises-cropped-960x720.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"Moises Salazar Tlatenchi, \u201cCruising Queens\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, glitter, yarn, 35 x 45 inches\" data-rl_title=\"Moises Salazar Tlatenchi, \u201cCruising Queens\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, glitter, yarn, 35 x 45 inches\" data-rl_caption=\"Moises Salazar Tlatenchi, \u201cCruising Queens\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, glitter, yarn, 35 x 45 inches\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"720\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/moises-cropped-960x720.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Moises Salazar Tlatenchi depicting five brown figures sailing in a boat in ice waters with an American flag. The composition is made with glitter and sits inside a crocheted lavender frame.\" class=\"wp-image-471585\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Moises Salazar Tlatenchi, \u201cCruising Queens\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, glitter, yarn, 35 x 45 inches<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>In Moises Salazar Tlatenchi\u2019s \u201cCruising Queens,\u201d a boat of five faceless figures and an American flag sail icy waters. Reminiscent of 18th-century America, the figures wear powdered wigs and tricorne hats. Finished with a dense layer of glitter and a daintily crocheted lavender frame, the artist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/moises-salazar\/\">glamorous materials<\/a>\u2014and the existence of brown figures in this context\u2014subvert American history. \u201cCruising Queens\u201d is placed within the exhibition\u2019s <em>New Histories<\/em> section, which focuses on retelling personal, cultural, and global histories.<\/p>\n<p>Colossal readers might also recognize Eamon Ore-Giron\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/eamon-ore-giron\/\">tessellated abstractions<\/a> in \u201cTalking Shit with Ilapa (variation I),\u201d Guadalupe Maravilla\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/guadalupe-maravilla\/\">mixed-media techniques<\/a> in \u201cPupusa Retablo,\u201d and Firelei B\u00e1ez\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/firelei-baez\/\">vibrant portraits<\/a> bursting with floral motifs in \u201cMawu-Lisa (I build my language out of rocks).\u201d Known for deconstructing colonial structures within her work, B\u00e1ez turns toward the <a href=\"https:\/\/eji.org\/report\/transatlantic-slave-trade\/origins\/#chapter-1-origins-intro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">transatlantic slave trade<\/a>, invoking deity <a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Mawu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mawu-Lisa<\/a>, a critical figure in the culture and religion of the Fon people in West Africa, who were brought to the Caribbean by force.<\/p>\n<p><em>Bodies &amp; Figures<\/em> denotes another section of the show, highlighting \u201crepresentations of and by marginalized people, considering the importance of the body, and who is or isn\u2019t seen in an image,\u201d the catalog says. One such work is <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/salomonhuerta\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Salom\u00f3n Huerta<\/a>\u2019s triptych of untitled canvases. Through the absence of figurative human subjects within the paintings, visitors experience an intimate representation of the artist\u2019s father.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cHuerta\u2019s father protected the family in their home in Ramona Gardens, a violent housing project in East Los Angeles,\u201d the museum label reads. \u201cAt night, he would set his .38-caliber revolver on the bedside table and ask Huerta to bring him a snack\u2014often a concha or a glass of milk.\u201d Disrupting expectations of traditional portraiture, the artist evokes something that feels deeply tender and human-centered\u2014without the presence of a body.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/huerta-cropped-1-960x1920.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"Salom\u00f3n Huerta, \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), \u201cUntitled (2025), \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 14 x 16 inches. Photo by Jackie Andres\" data-rl_title=\"Salom\u00f3n Huerta, \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), \u201cUntitled (2025), \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 14 x 16 inches. Photo by Jackie Andres\" data-rl_caption=\"Salom\u00f3n Huerta, \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), \u201cUntitled (2025), \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 14 x 16 inches. Photo by Jackie Andres\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1920\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/huerta-cropped-1-960x1920.jpg\" alt=\"a triptych by Salom\u00f3n Huerta, each a still life depicting a revolver next to a snack on a table\" class=\"wp-image-471586\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Salom\u00f3n Huerta, \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), \u201cUntitled (2025), \u201cUntitled\u201d (2024), oil on canvas, 14 x 16 inches. Photo by Jackie Andres<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the same time, <em>Let Us Gather<\/em> <em>In a Flourishing Way<\/em> begs the question: how do identity and place shape each other? Los Angeles-based artist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.alfonsogonzalezjr.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Alfonso Gonzalez Jr.<\/a> turns to the rich visual language of signage. A meticulous technique passed down from his father\u2019s professional career in commercial <a href=\"https:\/\/aliciapatterson.org\/noe-montes\/the-unique-art-of-sign-painting-in-los-angeles\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">sign painting<\/a>, Gonzalez has developed an enduring relationship with East Los Angeles\u2019 emblematic advertisements and billboards, often reflecting Chicano culture. In \u201cAbogados Tierra Caliente (Billboard),\u201d the artist underscores the inherent connection between local landscapes and one\u2019s selfhood, and an interesting relationship emerges between public commercial objects, personal portraits, and the museum itself.<\/p>\n<p>Chicago-based Yvette Mayorga\u2019s strikingly pink composition, \u201cThe Brunette Latinx Self Portrait After Francois Boucher\u2019s \u201cThe Brunette Odalisque\u201d c. 1745,\u201d is affixed to a wall in the show\u2019s cluster of <em>Pinturx<\/em> works, which are described as \u201ccontemporary Latinx approaches to traditional painting genres like still life and portraiture.\u201d The artist\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/yvette-mayorga\/\">distinctive technique<\/a> of piping acrylic paint embodies themes of labor, femininity, and memory. Mayorga\u2019s unconventional methods are an example of newer approaches to portraiture and complement the artist\u2019s nods to Baroque and Rococo art.<\/p>\n<p>Included in this grouping of nontraditional painting methods are other artists previously featured on Colossal, such as Sarah Zapata\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/sarah-zapata\/\">textile columns<\/a>, made from handwoven cloth and various fibers. Installed leaning against a wall or protruding downward from the ceiling, her structures convey instability\u2014a reflection of the current climate we find ourselves in. Narsiso Martinez also makes an appearance with \u201cChecker Leading the Crowd,\u201d made with charcoal on his distinctive <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/tags\/narsiso-martinez\/\">cardboard produce box<\/a> background, calling attention to labor.<\/p>\n<p>In an anchoring room of the exhibition, \u201cPromised Land\u201d by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/patrick_martinez_studio\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Patrick Martinez<\/a> spans 16 feet wide, redolent of a landscape\u2019s sweeping view. Acrylic, neon, stucco, spray paint, and ceramic tile are just some of the layers that sit atop each other in the mixed-media work. Martinez ruminates on his native Los Angeles and the facade of \u201cparadise\u201d amid an ever-changing cultural landscape marked by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.sciencedirect.com\/science\/article\/pii\/S0264275125006250\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gentrification<\/a> and financial marginalization. Abstracted and washed-out structures, spray-paint marks inspired by graffiti, and an archival family photo collage represent the passage of time and the act of constantly rebuilding. \u201cPromised Land\u201d is part of the exhibition\u2019s <em>Land\/tierra<\/em> section, which highlights \u201cLatinx approaches to landscape and the built environment, thinking about land and tierra and their rapid change.\u201d<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-5.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1117\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-5.jpg\" alt='an installation image of \"Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\" inside the Buffalo AKG Art Museum' class=\"wp-image-471339\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As a whole, the boundary-pushing exhibition comes together in a chorus of dialogues, mediums, backgrounds, and experiences. The Caribbean and Latin American diaspora is complex, and each artist remains distinct\u2014resisting an external flattening into a monolithic identity. <em>Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way<\/em> is a celebration of contrasts and connections and a necessary counterbalance in the glaring face of division.<\/p>\n<p>The exhibition is on view through September 6, when it will travel to the Des Moines Art Center, the Phoenix Art Museum, and the Frye Art Museum in Seattle. Public programming\u2014workshops, artist talks, tours with poet Juan Felipe Herrera, and more\u2014is slated to accompany the show\u2019s run, so keep an eye out for events on the museum\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/buffaloakg.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-2.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1614\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-2.jpg\" alt='an installation image of \"Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\" inside the Buffalo AKG Art Museum' class=\"wp-image-471336\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/larrymadrigal-cropped-1-960x1149.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"Larry Madrigal, \u201cMan on Trampoline\u201d (2023), oil on linen, 90 x 76 inches. Photo by Yubo Dong, ofstudio photography, courtesy of the artist and Nicodim\" data-rl_title=\"Larry Madrigal, \u201cMan on Trampoline\u201d (2023), oil on linen, 90 x 76 inches. Photo by Yubo Dong, ofstudio photography, courtesy of the artist and Nicodim\" data-rl_caption=\"Larry Madrigal, \u201cMan on Trampoline\u201d (2023), oil on linen, 90 x 76 inches. Photo by Yubo Dong, ofstudio photography, courtesy of the artist and Nicodim\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"960\" height=\"1149\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/larrymadrigal-cropped-1-960x1149.jpg\" alt=\"a painting by Larry Madrigal of individuals of all ages jumping on a trampoline\" class=\"wp-image-471587\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Larry Madrigal, \u201cMan on Trampoline\u201d (2023), oil on linen, 90 x 76 inches. Photo by Yubo Dong, ofstudio photography, courtesy of the artist and Nicodim<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-6.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1322\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-6.jpg\" alt='an installation image of \"Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\" inside the Buffalo AKG Art Museum' class=\"wp-image-471340\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-13.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"Yvette Mayorga, \u201cThe Brunette Latinx Self Portrait After Fran\u00e7ois Boucher\u2019s \u201cThe Brunette Odalisque\u201d c.1745\u2033 (2022), acrylic nails, acrylic marker, false eyelashes, collage, plastic rings, plastic nail charms, rhinestones, car wrap vinyl, and acrylic piping on panel, overall 60 x 120 x 2 inches. Photo by Robert Chase Heishman, courtesy of the artist\" data-rl_title=\"Yvette Mayorga, \u201cThe Brunette Latinx Self Portrait After Fran\u00e7ois Boucher\u2019s \u201cThe Brunette Odalisque\u201d c.1745\u2033 (2022), acrylic nails, acrylic marker, false eyelashes, collage, plastic rings, plastic nail charms, rhinestones, car wrap vinyl, and acrylic piping on panel, overall 60 x 120 x 2 inches. Photo by Robert Chase Heishman, courtesy of the artist\" data-rl_caption=\"Yvette Mayorga, \u201cThe Brunette Latinx Self Portrait After Fran\u00e7ois Boucher\u2019s \u201cThe Brunette Odalisque\u201d c.1745\u2033 (2022), acrylic nails, acrylic marker, false eyelashes, collage, plastic rings, plastic nail charms, rhinestones, car wrap vinyl, and acrylic piping on panel, overall 60 x 120 x 2 inches. Photo by Robert Chase Heishman, courtesy of the artist\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1121\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-13.jpg\" alt=\"a wide, oval-shaped composition by Yvette Mayorga in pink piped acrylic hues, depicting a woman lying down\" class=\"wp-image-471347\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Yvette Mayorga, \u201cThe Brunette Latinx Self Portrait After Fran\u00e7ois Boucher\u2019s \u201cThe Brunette Odalisque\u201d c.1745\u2033 (2022), acrylic nails, acrylic marker, false eyelashes, collage, plastic rings, plastic nail charms, rhinestones, car wrap vinyl, and acrylic piping on panel, overall 60 x 120 x 2 inches. Photo by Robert Chase Heishman, courtesy of the artist<br \/><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-3.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1197\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-3.jpg\" alt='an installation image of \"Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\" inside the Buffalo AKG Art Museum' class=\"wp-image-471337\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-4.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1355\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-4.jpg\" alt='an installation image of \"Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\" inside the Buffalo AKG Art Museum' class=\"wp-image-471338\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-12.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1187\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-12.jpg\" alt='an installation image of \"Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\" inside the Buffalo AKG Art Museum' class=\"wp-image-471346\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum<br \/><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-7.jpg\" class=\"swipebox\" data-rel=\"lightbox-gallery-470925\" title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_title=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\" data-rl_caption=\"\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1290\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/letusgather-7.jpg\" alt='an installation image of \"Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\" inside the Buffalo AKG Art Museum' class=\"wp-image-471341\"><\/a><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">\u201cLet Us Gather in a Flourishing Way\u201d at the Buffalo AKG Art Museum. Photo by Brenda Bieger, Buffalo AKG Art Museum<br \/><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"after-entry\" role=\"complementary\" aria-label=\"After Entry\">\n<section id=\"block-16\" class=\"widget widget_block widget_text\">\n<p><mark style=\"background-color:#88caf0\" class=\"has-inline-color\"><strong>Do stories and artists like this matter to you?<\/strong><\/mark> Become a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"118516\">Colossal Member<\/a> now, and support independent arts publishing.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section id=\"block-17\" class=\"widget widget_block\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns are-vertically-aligned-top is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-28f84493 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-benefits is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Hide advertising<\/li>\n<li>Save your favorite articles<\/li>\n<li>Get 15% off in the <a href=\"https:\/\/colossal.shop\/\">Colossal Shop<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Receive members-only newsletter<\/li>\n<li>Give 1% for art supplies in K-12 classrooms<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-vertically-aligned-top member-options is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:50%\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-vertical is-layout-flex wp-container-core-group-is-layout-fe9cc265 wp-block-group-is-layout-flex\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Join us today!<\/h3>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-horizontal is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-verdigris-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/colossal.memberful.com\/checkout?plan=113464\">$7\/month<\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-verdigris-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/colossal.memberful.com\/checkout?plan=113463\">$75\/year<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-crow-color has-chalk-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/members\/\">Explore membership options<img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"20\" height=\"21\" class=\"wp-image-327872\" style=\"width: 20px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/arrow-left.svg\" alt><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/aside>\n<nav class=\"navigation post-navigation\" role=\"navigation\">\n<div class=\"nav-links\">\n<div class=\"nav-previous\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.thisiscolossal.com\/2026\/03\/thomas-jackson-fabrics-landscapes-photographs\/\" rel=\"prev\">Next article<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/nav><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Patrick Martinez, \u201cPromised Land\u201d (2022), acrylic, stucco, neon, Mean Streak, ceramic, spray paint, latex house paint, banner tarp, ceramic tile, tile adhesive, and family archive photo collage on panel, 84 x 192 x 7 inches. Photo by Yubo Dong, ofstudio photography, courtesy of Charlie James Gallery \u2018Let Us Gather In a Flourishing Way\u2019 Convenes 58 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,270],"class_list":["post-1837354","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-thisiscolossal-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1837354","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1837354"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1837354\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1837354"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1837354"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1837354"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}