National Hispanic Heritage Month
Celebrating Hispanic Heritage through Art in the Pearl District
It's National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15): a month dedicated to the generations of people of Hispanic descent and their positive impact on the nation and society through advocacy work, culture, art, popular and traditional foods, and so much more.
As we recognize the cultural impact of Hispanic heritage, Around the Pearl wanted to use our platform to celebrate those within our local communities because representation matters on all scales. Thank you to Blackfish Gallery and Gallery 114, who contributed the work of these amazing artists who beautifully represent this vibrant celebration.
“My work often includes Mexican religious iconography, specifically Milagros (small metal charms that represent miracles). I use body imagery intertwined with religious objects to connect with my cultural identity and heritage, as well as my corporeal reality as a human being.” — Angennette Escobar
Angennette Escobar's work draws from her Mexican Catholic heritage, using religious iconography like Milagros—small charms symbolizing miracles. She incorporates body imagery with religious objects, focusing on body parts rather than full figures, reflecting both her cultural identity and human experience. Milagros are embedded in her pieces as hidden prayers, often discreetly placed on the back or underside of her artwork. See more of Angennette Escobar's stunning work on Instagram, @angennetteescobar.
Blackfish Gallery Website
The artist is influenced by a range of sources like mythology, gender, nature, and consumerism. “I use both found and traditional materials, creating juxtapositions that form new relationships between the real and imagined. This space between reality and imagination is what I aim to explore in my drawings, paintings, and installations.” - Monica Mitchell
Monica Mitchell uses found objects, fabric, and duct tape, as well as traditional drawing and painting materials. According to Michell, juxtaposing different objects and materials creates new relationships. These new relationships create spaces that rest between what is imagined and what is real. That imaginative in-between space is what she is most interested in, whether it’s through drawing, painting, or installation. Check out more of Monica Mitchell’s beautiful work on Instagram, monicainescita.
Blackfish Gallery Website
Sculptor and musician Tony Furtado's work is graphically compelling. He uses ceramics and other materials to create sculptures that show animals, structures, and combinations of both. The natural world inspires Furtado's desire for emotional response through his work, "driven by the tension between survival and surrender, something we all balance as part of this wildly changing planet."
Risk and challenge are part of the artist's ethos: "When it comes to both art and music, I've always believed that taking risks is a conduit beyond the obvious— to express something with deeper resonance and profound honesty." - Tony Furtado
Gallery 114 has two sculptures by Tony Firtado in a collection called Apocalypse, Maybe. See more of Tony Furtado's fabulous art and music on his Instagram @tonyfurtado5.
Gallery 114 Website
Waterstone Gallery: Andrea Lopez
Andrea Lopez is a self-taught, Colombian-Amercian artist in Vancouver, WA. Originally from Colombia, she discovered her passion for art after an initial career in medicine. Lopez creates vibrant, multilayered mixed media works by intuitively combining collage, acrylics, oil pastels, charcoal and spray paint into abstract-realist compositions.
Her paintings feature subjects like animals, still lifes, barns, figures and organic shapes enhanced by rich textures and a playful sense of humor inspired by her Colombian heritage. Text, fonts, and cultural motifs reflecting Lopez’s love of language and travel are often incorporated. Through her joyful, exploratory artistic style, she aims to enrich others’ lives with the same wonder that drives her creativity.
Celebrate the inspiration of Hispanic artists during National Hispanic Heritage Month!
We touched on just a few amazing creatives, but there are many opportunities to explore beautiful, varied works representing the vast expanse of human experience. Embrace your curiosity, explore local galleries, and dive into our resources below—let the art and culture ignite your inspiration! The latest gallery exhibitions are listed on #AroundthePearl and the Monthy Gallery Walk Guide on the News.
Enjoy National Hispanic Heritage Month by indulging in the rich flavors of Hispanic cuisine right here in the Pearl District.
After visiting the galleries, indulge in the variety of eateries in the Pearl that offer a delicious taste of Hispanic culture. We have a list of a few of our favorites. Enjoy!
Andina: Peru Verde Cocina En La Perla: Mexican Toro: Mexican Colibri by Tamale Boy: Mexican Carlita's: Southwest-Inspired Papi Chulo's: Jalisco Style Taqueria
Did You Know?
People of Hispanic origin are the largest racial or ethnic minority in the US: 18.9% of the total population in the US, 62.6 million: July 1, 2021, Census Bureau. In Oregon, Hispanics make up the largest minority population at 13.4%, according to HRSA’s Overview of the State.
The first Cinco de Mayo Fiesta was held in Portland in 1984. The celebration, which is filled with dance, art, food, and fun, is now one of the largest in the country.
Did you know the history of piñatas spans over 700 years, blending Chinese, Spanish, Aztec, and Mexican traditions? It all started in the late 13th century when Marco Polo observed a Chinese New Year tradition where farmers hung hollow animal sculptures filled with seeds, symbolizing hope for good weather. These sculptures made their way to Italy, where they evolved into "pignattas," clay pots filled with treats, used to celebrate the first Sunday of Lent in the early 14th century.
In the 1500s, Catholic missionaries brought the tradition to the Americas, where it merged with existing Aztec and Mayan customs. They discovered a similar tradition existed amongst the native Aztec and Mayan populations. Celebrating the birthday of Huitzilopochtli, their god of war, Aztec priests would decorate clay pots and fill them with small gifts and treats. Placed on a pole in Huitzilopochtli’s temple, it was struck until it shattered, “showering” the treats in front of the god. The Mayans, who had sports integrated deeply into their lifestyle, would sometimes cover the eyes of the players while hitting the pot. Sound familiar? The theory is that the piñata was made in China, christened in Italy, and raised in Mexico!
Resources
Visit the Oregon Encyclopedia: Hispanics in Oregon to gain a deeper understanding of the rich history of the Hispanic community Latinos in Oregon.
Check out Latino Network for local advocacy, resources, services, and the community’s education, leadership, and civic engagement.
Additional resources are available at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino.
Around the Pearl
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Highlighting Portland’s Original Creative District
Around the Pearl is part of the Pearl District Portfolio’s commitment to ensuring that this mixed-use district continues to function as a vibrant center of art and culture, urban housing, and creativity. Through the adaptive reuse of our eight distinct buildings, we continue to honor the Pearl District's history while providing a range of spaces unique and unequaled in Portland.
The Pearl District Portfolio is proud to participate in the NW Community Conservancy's (NWCC) humanitarian and security initiative to enhance safety and livability for all who live, work, learn, and play in our neighborhood
