I AM American. Curated by Sergio Gomez opens at White Ripple Gallery

I AM American opened this weekend at White Ripple Gallery in Hammond, IN with a wonderful crowd of artists and guests. This exhibition is one of my latest curatorial projects and one which is very close to me. I AM American is an exhibition which in many ways tells the story of many of us. As a Mexican immigrant now naturalized American, my story is part of the collective story of this great nation. Unfortunately, for many people, Americanism only has one face. Anything outside of that mold is not well accepted and received. I AM American is not an exhibition about immigrants only. In fact, some of the artists in the show have been born in the US and even some can trace their history all the way back to the American Indians.

I believe this an important exhibition because the issue of racial tension still lingers in our country. I AM American aims to engage the viewer into a conversation of cultural awareness about the complexities of the American experience. Who is an American? is a question at the heart of the exhibition seeking to stretch our view on the subject.

I AM American is now a traveling exhibition which began at Water Street Studios Gallery in Betavia and is now on view until July 26 at White Ripple Gallery in Hammond, IN. It is scheduled to visit Governors State University this Fall and the Zhou B Art Center next year.