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What Lived and Died Between Us Haunts Me: Julianna Sanromán Solo Exhibition
LATINX ARTIST JULIANNA SANROMÁN DEBUT EXHIBITION “WHAT LIVED AND DIED BETWEEN US HAUNTS ME” REVEALS FIRST-GENERATION IMMIGRANT EXPERIENCES
First-generation Latinx artist working in Southwest Detroit receives Emerging Artist Fellowship to share intimate stories of immigration
October 15, 2024 I DETROIT, MI — “What Lived And Died Between Us Haunts Me” is Julianna Sanromán’s debut solo exhibition of paintings, opening to the public on Saturday, October 19th at PLAYGROUND DETROIT that reflect her experience as a first generation Latinx immigrant and artist working in Southwest Detroit.
“I paint because I have to; the deep grief in my heart wasn’t meant to be the focus; it just came out that way, unexpectedly and organically.”
Julianna’s ink and acrylic paintings feel both familiar and very personal at the same time, drawing on her memories to explore what family, community, loss, and grief mean in her life, turning everyday experiences into a deeply personal story. Her work captures the tangled emotions, unseen struggles, and the lasting impact of deportation that still haunt her decades later. Her work focuses on themes of love, pain, and remembrance intricately woven throughout her pieces that reflect a rich tapestry of experiences. Through vibrant colors and delicate transparencies, her paintings encapsulate the essence of her journey, reflecting on the passage of time and the enduring power of memory. Each painting stands as a silent testament to a life lived, infused with the richness of personal history and the longing for unity and belonging.
From the Artist-
“As someone who is constantly revisiting my past because it is where my loved ones exist, I think of lineage. I think of how I long for my homeland, and how every one of my ancestors do as well. I have worked a lot in my community (Southwest Detroit) and have heard many stories of loved ones we leave behind, versions of ourselves we can no longer access, smells, foods, and colors we can only dream of. I think of how the mountains still call out my name. How my mother only listens to music when I’m home and how she ends every phone call with how someone is still waiting for me. I see myself in every face I see in Southwest. The homes we leave in search of stability for our loved ones. Southwest Detroit has a tenderness that reflects the transformative nature of the immigrant experience, one that I wish to share and give light to, and document for our children to look back on.
I feel now more than ever the stories of displacement and of immigration should be highlighted. I hope to bring light to the humanness of the experience and to allow members of the Southwest community to have a platform to speak on how prevalent these social issues are and how much these impacts trickle on the community as a whole. I want to support these stories to amplify and allow them to take up the space they require and deserve. Hopefully it leads to conversation and actions to be taken to protect and support this community as gentrification is creeping in and communities being pushed away from the heart of our homes.”
Julianna Sanromán is an interdisciplinary artist from Southwest Detroit and Jalisco, Mexico, currently working in Metro Detroit. Her artwork focuses on themes of love, pain, and remembrance intricately woven throughout their pieces that reflect a rich tapestry of experiences. Through vibrant colors and delicate transparencies, they encapsulate the essence of their journey, reflecting on the passage of time and the enduring power of memory.
She has exhibited work at The Scarab Club (Detroit, MI), Art Prize (Grand Rapids, MI), BasBlue (Detroit, MI), The Gallery at Brewery Park (Detroit, MI), Gallery Omnibus, (Dresden, Germany). Julianna is an avid member of Detroit Society of Women Painters and Sculptors Scholarship and (tentative) Detroit Artist Collective. She is a recent graduate from College for Creative Studies (2024), receiving a BFA in Art Practice as well as a recipient of the Imre J. Molnar Artistic Achievement Award.
She is a recipient of the Emerging Artist Fellowship 2024, which provides financial support and professional mentorship for artists to develop their individual practices and identifies, elevates and promotes Detroit-based artistic excellence. Hosted by PLAYGROUND DETROIT, selected artists receive an exhibition and financial stipend to support them at a critical point in their career. This program is supported by the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.
ABOUT PLAYGROUND DETROIT
PLAYGROUND DETROIT is a contemporary art gallery and creative agency based in Detroit, MI established in 2012. As a social enterprise, the mission is to support and develop opportunities for creative professionals, artists and residents in order to enhance and sustain Detroit’s creative economy.
Opening Reception, Saturday October 19, 6-9P
Artist Talk, Saturday October 26, 2-4P
First-generation Latinx artist working in Southwest Detroit receives Emerging Artist Fellowship to share intimate stories of immigration
October 15, 2024 I DETROIT, MI — “What Lived And Died Between Us Haunts Me” is Julianna Sanromán’s debut solo exhibition of paintings, opening to the public on Saturday, October 19th at PLAYGROUND DETROIT that reflect her experience as a first generation Latinx immigrant and artist working in Southwest Detroit.
“I paint because I have to; the deep grief in my heart wasn’t meant to be the focus; it just came out that way, unexpectedly and organically.”
Julianna’s ink and acrylic paintings feel both familiar and very personal at the same time, drawing on her memories to explore what family, community, loss, and grief mean in her life, turning everyday experiences into a deeply personal story. Her work captures the tangled emotions, unseen struggles, and the lasting impact of deportation that still haunt her decades later. Her work focuses on themes of love, pain, and remembrance intricately woven throughout her pieces that reflect a rich tapestry of experiences. Through vibrant colors and delicate transparencies, her paintings encapsulate the essence of her journey, reflecting on the passage of time and the enduring power of memory. Each painting stands as a silent testament to a life lived, infused with the richness of personal history and the longing for unity and belonging.
From the Artist-
“As someone who is constantly revisiting my past because it is where my loved ones exist, I think of lineage. I think of how I long for my homeland, and how every one of my ancestors do as well. I have worked a lot in my community (Southwest Detroit) and have heard many stories of loved ones we leave behind, versions of ourselves we can no longer access, smells, foods, and colors we can only dream of. I think of how the mountains still call out my name. How my mother only listens to music when I’m home and how she ends every phone call with how someone is still waiting for me. I see myself in every face I see in Southwest. The homes we leave in search of stability for our loved ones. Southwest Detroit has a tenderness that reflects the transformative nature of the immigrant experience, one that I wish to share and give light to, and document for our children to look back on.
I feel now more than ever the stories of displacement and of immigration should be highlighted. I hope to bring light to the humanness of the experience and to allow members of the Southwest community to have a platform to speak on how prevalent these social issues are and how much these impacts trickle on the community as a whole. I want to support these stories to amplify and allow them to take up the space they require and deserve. Hopefully it leads to conversation and actions to be taken to protect and support this community as gentrification is creeping in and communities being pushed away from the heart of our homes.”
Julianna Sanromán is an interdisciplinary artist from Southwest Detroit and Jalisco, Mexico, currently working in Metro Detroit. Her artwork focuses on themes of love, pain, and remembrance intricately woven throughout their pieces that reflect a rich tapestry of experiences. Through vibrant colors and delicate transparencies, they encapsulate the essence of their journey, reflecting on the passage of time and the enduring power of memory.
She has exhibited work at The Scarab Club (Detroit, MI), Art Prize (Grand Rapids, MI), BasBlue (Detroit, MI), The Gallery at Brewery Park (Detroit, MI), Gallery Omnibus, (Dresden, Germany). Julianna is an avid member of Detroit Society of Women Painters and Sculptors Scholarship and (tentative) Detroit Artist Collective. She is a recent graduate from College for Creative Studies (2024), receiving a BFA in Art Practice as well as a recipient of the Imre J. Molnar Artistic Achievement Award.
She is a recipient of the Emerging Artist Fellowship 2024, which provides financial support and professional mentorship for artists to develop their individual practices and identifies, elevates and promotes Detroit-based artistic excellence. Hosted by PLAYGROUND DETROIT, selected artists receive an exhibition and financial stipend to support them at a critical point in their career. This program is supported by the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.
ABOUT PLAYGROUND DETROIT
PLAYGROUND DETROIT is a contemporary art gallery and creative agency based in Detroit, MI established in 2012. As a social enterprise, the mission is to support and develop opportunities for creative professionals, artists and residents in order to enhance and sustain Detroit’s creative economy.
Opening Reception, Saturday October 19, 6-9P
Artist Talk, Saturday October 26, 2-4P
I'm Sorry I Left So Suddenly All I Ever Wanted Was to Stay, 2024
Ink and acrylic on Mylar
18 × 12 in | 45.7 × 30.5 cm
Frame included
I'm Sorry I Left So Suddenly All I Ever Wanted Was to Stay, 2024
Ink and acrylic on Mylar
18 × 12 in | 45.7 × 30.5 cm
Frame included Details
I Will REMEMBER For Life, 2024
Ink and acrylic on Mylar
9 × 14 in | 22.9 × 35.6 cm
I Will REMEMBER For Life, 2024
Ink and acrylic on Mylar
9 × 14 in | 22.9 × 35.6 cm
I Just Wanted to Say I Love You, 2024
Ink and Acrylic on Mylar
22 × 13 in | 55.9 × 33 cm
Today in the Warm Light of the Sunset, I Don’t See it I Just See the Sunset
Ink and acrylic on Mylar, framed
23 x 13.50 in
I Wish You Could Have Stayed
Ink and Acrylic on Mylar, Framed
23 x 13 in
Do You Still Think of Me, 2024
Ink and Acrylic on Mylar
4 × 7 in | 10.2 × 17.8 cm
Do You Still Think of Me, 2024
Ink and Acrylic on Mylar
4 × 7 in | 10.2 × 17.8 cm
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