The Des Moines Art Center, in partnership with Refugee Alliance of Central Iowa (RACI) and West Des Moines Public Schools’ Refugee and Immigrant Student Embassy (RISE) has brought together immigrant and refugee organizations to explore belonging through art and connection. Inspired by Ana Mendieta’s artwork, on loan from the Art Bridges Foundation, the Belonging Project program has included tours, events, and a collaborative art project designed by the RISE students.
Ana Mendieta’s iconic silueta artwork, “Fundamento de Palo Monte: Silueta Series (Gunpowder Works),” 1980, captures the artist’s exploration of her Cuban heritage and her connection to nature as a Cuban-exile in the United States. The film documents the transformation of a hollow bodily form filled with gunpowder, set ablaze to reveal a pile of ash surrounding a raised-heart made of rocks. Mendieta’s performance embodies themes of destruction, rebirth, and the search for a sense of belonging to a specific time and place.
Join us at the Art Center for a reception and community celebration showcasing the completed artwork from the project. Don’t miss this inspiring event celebrating diversity, culture, and the power of art to create a sense of belonging.
