Upcoming Exhibition: September 7, 2024 — September 28, 2024
Itzel Vilches (b. 1988) is a multimedia artist born in Laredo and currently based in San Antonio, Texas. She earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 2021 from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a concentration in printmaking and minors in Art History and Business Administration.
Vilches grew up on both sides of the Mexican-American border, which led her work to focus on a multicultural identity’s fluidity and ripple effects. She explores the gaps in language and communication that affect generations. Her printmaking practice ranges from relief to serigraphy, and she often works with installations.
Vilches has showcased her work in group exhibitions and printmaking festivals across Texas and Tamaulipas, MX. Additionally, she has contributed to several public murals in Laredo, TX. In 2022, she was chosen as a Virtual Artist-in-Residence for Cultivarte Laredo. In 2024, Vilches was awarded an Individual Artist Grant by the City of San Antonio’s Arts & Culture Department.
Artist Statement
Millions of first-generation immigrants don’t have access to their home country at a walking distance. The life I began in Mexico was packed up in a few bags and moved 20 miles north to Laredo, TX. Unable to cross back for 12 years, I explore the prominent gap in my cultural identity by measuring tangible limitations such as water, geography, and architecture.
My work dives into the perplexity of a multicultural upbringing tied in with the irony of physically existing in the middle of those two countries. A disorientation occurs, and the question of identity becomes deeper.
Examining language as a reach for cultural connection has been the focus of my most recent work. Spanglish terms that are unanimous to South Texas are the highlight of my print series—tied with a modernized style that is inspired by vibrant indigenous Huichol yarn paintings and Mesoamerican motifs. I intend to project a sense of pride and even humor into this series rather than shame and isolation. Approaching language with curiosity instead of intimidation is a way I cement myself into my heritage. The title of the series “Como se dice?” channels this idea.
As border people, we are as fluid as the river that runs between us. Transformation and adaptability are common themes in my art. I value the visual qualities of printmaking to carry concepts across my work, such as the deterioration of memory. I want to highlight my heritage and connection to the land, which I hope, in turn, can bring a sense of belonging to others.
This exhibition is generously supported by the City of San Antonio’s Department of Arts & Culture through its 2024 Individual Artists Project Grant Program.
Learn more about Itzel by visiting www.itzelvilchesart.com