Art in Exile: The Work of Nicaraguan Painter León Van Kyu
About the artist:
In the past year, more than forty thousand migrant newcomers have arrived in New York City. One of them is painter León Van Kyu. Forced to flee his native Nicaragua as a result of political repression, he arrived in New York City in August 2022 with his wife and children. Through his painting, he explores the experience of exile and the search for a new home.
Van Kyu hails from Jinotepe, Nicaragua, where he received his artistic training at the Escuela Nacional de Arte Rodrigo Peñalba. He worked as a visual artist, painting scenes from Jinotepe, the colonial city of Granada, landscapes, and female figures. His work is influenced by impressionism and abstract expressionism. His most recent work features scenes from New York City.
Artwork medium:
Leon’s paintings are in acrylic and oil, applied with a spatula, on wood or canvas.
About the organizers:
The Artist Gardener (TAG) NYC is a public art program bringing together artists and public green spaces. To showcase Leon Van Kyu’s artwork, TAG is collaborating with the Center for Mexico and Central America (CeMeCA) at Columbia University’s Institute of Latin American Studies (ILAS). The Center serves as an educational and research platform at Columbia from which to research, teach, imagine, and engage with Mexico and Central America.
Location: 108 West 132nd Street, New York, NY 10027, United States
Time: 12:00-5:00 pm EDT
Free!
