Upcoming Exhibition
Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way
Contemporary Latinx Painting
Vincent Valdez (American, born 1977), “The Sea”, 2020
Inspired by a 2008 poem of the same name by former US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, “Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way” celebrates the vision and creativity of Latinx painters.
Inspired by a 2008 poem of the same name by former US Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, “Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way” celebrates the vision and creativity of Latinx painters. It showcases 58 artists who actively enrich the landscape of contemporary painting, introducing new approaches to form, materials, and subject matter. Many expand the boundaries of what can be considered a painting, experimenting with a wide variety of unconventional materials. Individually and collectively, the artists in this exhibition advance the history of both American art and global contemporary art.
“Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way” embraces the cacophony, complexity, and heterogeneity of Latinx identity and Latinx art alike. All of the artists live and work in the United States but have roots in Central America and the Caribbean. The paintings they create speak to the multiplicity of their personal attachments and the dynamism of cross–cultural exchange. “Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way” invites audiences to enter a vibrant network of images, associations, and stories. Many of the paintings are monumental in size, creating an immersive environment as rich in color and texture as it is in meaning and symbolism.
The exhibition is organized by the Buffalo AKG Art Museum and curated by Dr. Andrea Alvarez. After debuting in Buffalo and stopping Des Moines, “Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way” will continue to the Phoenix Art Museum and the Frye Art Museum in Seattle.
The exhibition is made possible by the Henry Luce Foundation and the Terra Foundation for American Art. At the Buffalo AKG Art Museum, major support is contributed by the Rich Family Foundation and the Rich Family Fund for Community Access. Generous support is provided by Catherine Beltz Foley, Esq. Additional sponsors include the Blum Family, Charlie James Gallery, Fred Eychaner, Lehmann Maupin, and Luis De Jesus Los Angeles.
The Des Moines Art Center’s presentation of “Let Us Gather in a Flourishing Way” is organized by Senior Curator Laura Burkhalter. Additional support for the presentation of this exhibition at the Des Moines Art Center is provided by the Harriet S. and J. Locke Macomber Art Center Fund and the Anna K. Meredith Endowment Trust.
Sustaining support made possible by the Anna K. Meredith Endowment Trust.
Vincent Valdez (American, born 1977)
The Sea, 2020
Oil on canvas
Copyright Vincent Valdez
Courtesy Matthew Brown
Lilian Martinez (American, born 1986)
Garden Club, 2024
Acrylic on canvas
Gift of Pamela and David Hornik, 2025
2025:9
