My Life, My Voice: Occupying Spaces (La vida de uno y el lugar que ocupamos)

Cesar Viveros is transforming DelArt’s Orientation Hall with a painted mural and a series of seven screen prints, commissioned by the Museum to accompany the exhibition Estampas de la Raza: Contemporary Prints from the Romo Collection. Born in Mexico, Viveros is a renowned muralist, painter, screen-printer, clay and papier-mâché sculptor in the Philadelphia area, and a leader in the region’s Latino community and art world.

Viveros’ mural represents a bodega or tienda de la esquina—a typical corner store which serves as a daily point of encounter in Latino neighborhoods. His posters are based on conversations with members of the Hispanic American Association of Delaware and Los Abuelos, a senior group from the Latin American Community Center. Posters will also be distributed to venues in Wilmington.

Viveros finds inspiration in community stories and experiences. Whether a mural, a painting, a sculpture, or a poster, his art is created in symbiosis with the people with whom he interacts. Focused on sharing his culture, heritage, and history, he creates unique art works and spaces where those stories come alive, like Jardin Iglesias, where ancient traditions and contemporary art merge. Viveros also organizes activities, including food justice workshops, sweat lodge ritual practices, and Aztec dances and ceremonies, and creates altars for Day of the Dead celebrations, sculptures, mosaics, and feather work.