Connected Diaspora: Central American Visuality in the Age of Social Media from September 14, 2020 to December 12, 2020 at The Stamp Gallery | University of Maryland, College Park | Written by Mollie Goldman

Before even entering the gallery, viewers can see Kiara Machado’s painting “Centro” through the glass doors of the gallery as it brightens the entryway. Her piece is as rich in color as it is in meaning. One of the many beauties of this painting is the intricacy. It seems that each additional look at the painting exposes yet another significant detail. 

Machado uses her art to bring aspects of her culture to light. During a recent artists panel orchestrated by the gallery on October 8, 2020, Machado spoke about how she enjoys intertwining her Southern Californian upbringing with her Central American roots. She discussed her use of bright colors and how they serve to not only captivate viewers, but also intensify her artwork. 

Another motif in Machado’s paintings is botany and thick foliage. Yet again, this is meant to convey both beauty and meaning. For example, palm leaves are so common in her paintings due to the fact that they are abundant all over California, but were originally brought by Central American settlers and are not a native species. Like Machado, although Palm trees now grow in California, they derive from Central America. 

Furthermore, another prevalent theme within her artworks are small dolls. Looking at “Centro,” viewers can see dozens of subtle dolls painted in the backdrop of the piece as well as resting in the hand, on the clothing, and around the head of the woman presented in this painting. These dolls depict those played with by many young children of Central American descent. 

“Centro” is a wonderful painting to include at the front of the gallery as it entices viewers and sets the tone for so many other pieces within the exhibit. The beautiful symbolism and cultural meanings in this painting remind gallery visitors to look for the powerful messages interwoven into the many artworks of the Connected Diaspora exhibit.

Although the artists featured in this exhibit are of distinctly different ages and origins, and each possess unique artistic styles, they all have the common goal of sharing aspects of their culture in a beautiful and powerful way.

For more information on Connected Diaspora: Central American Visuality in the Age of Social Media and related events, visit https://thestamp.umd.edu/stamp_gallery