The Springfield Museums are working with members of the Latino community to highlight the contributions of local artists, activists and civic leaders, through a new committee.
Lydia Martinez-Alvarez chairs Mi Museo (My Museum), the panel which helped curate a photo exhibit of Latinos in Springfield dating back to the 1970s.
The images, shot by local photographer Ed Cohen, will be on display at the Museum of Springfield History until next spring.
"We really just wanted to be showcased in the museums, to be a part of it, not just during Hispanic Heritage Month... We want it to be a permanent part because we are a permanent part of Springfield," Martinez-Alvarez said.
To introduce the exhibit and in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Springfield Museums also hosted a festival Saturday featuring the work of a dozen local Latino artists including Springfield teen Jaida Denson.
"I think it's awesome because it's representing Hispanics and... I feel like this doesn't happen often and I just feel like it's great just to see my people," said Denson who submitted a graphite drawing for the pop-up show.
"I was watching 'The Flash'. And then I got inspired to draw Iris West and Barry Allen," she said.
Kay Simpson, president of the Springfield Museums, credited Martinez-Alvarez and the Mi Museo committee for creating an "inclusive experience."
"So we're celebrating art, music and the history of the community with this wonderful exhibit of photography by Ed Cohen," she said.
Simpson said she hopes to make the pop-up art festival bigger next year.
"We will be reaching out to more artists and hope to have the pop-up on display for several months," she said.
Springfield artist Frankie Borrero displayed one of his paintings during the pop-up. He describes himself jokingly as an artist "since birth."
"Well, I started with comic books... And as I worked my way up, graffiti and from graffiti I just kept it going. And all the way up to now over almost 35 years at it," he said.
Borrero said while he doesn't usually participate in art exhibits, this one was significant to him.
"It's a big deal to me because... this one is for Latino heritage. So it's a good thing," he said.
While most of the art work consisted of paintings and drawings Springfield artist Josue Mattei-Vega submitted a photograph —a self-portrait titled "Esmeralda."
"We called it Esmeralda... And it's supposed to signify the fact that we are suffocating in the same emerald mist that suffocated our ancestors. A lot of Latino culture... you know, was infiltrated by the military and the military wears green. And so that's the same color that surrounds me in the image," he said.
Mattei-Vega, who owns a media company and is a paraprofessional with the Springfield schools, is excited that more work from local Latino artists will be exhibited at the museums, to show a different side of the city and its residents.
"So the biggest thing about me is that I grew up in Springfield, right? And people think that Springfield is the headline. And... that's not the truth," he said. "We're more than just the headline and it's unfortunate that every time you hear something about Springfield, it has a negative connotation to it."
Note: Springfield Museums is an underwriter of NEPM. However that is not a factor in our news reporting.
