Rebecca Nava Soto will discuss her journey in seeking reconnection to her ancient and contemporary indigenous Mesoamérican roots through her art and how these influences interweave with the Western European art canon traditions and Latinx perspectives she grew up with. Through the open language of abstraction she seeks to reconcile these histories and experiences and speak to collective issues of today and also how this reconciliation might illuminate the future. She will discuss how in the studio, through material and process, research and influences operate at a hinge point with a self-generating element, a mediumistic relationship revealed through Art.
Rebecca Nava Soto is a multidisciplinary Xicanx artist based in Ohio. She uses mixed media painting, digital media and ephemeral installations to explore themes of perception, iconography, writing/image-making, technology and mysticism.
Rebecca earned her BFA in Painting from the University of Cincinnati and an MFA in Painting from Boston University. She currently serves on the faculty at the Art Academy of Cincinnati. Her artistic practice functions within three distinct roles: personal studio art practice, as an art educator, and as a lead artist for public art with a focus on collaborative efforts and curating opportunities for the Latinx Art community in the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. In the last three years, she has been offering independent public art making and educational workshops focused on Latinx and Indigenous mesoamerican art history and art making processes.
