Valerie Casella
exhibition
A Different Kind of Sky
Photo Montage
102.87 x 27.94 cm
The American dream is a concept all immigrants pursue. This work portrays the emotions of hopeful immigrants who just arrived to the US feel. In order to illustrate this, there was a focus on the blissful male who is pictured by himself and with his wife. The euphoric atmosphere of the montage transports the viewer to the beginning of an immigrants' journey. Utilizing the symbolism of the twin towers, which represent New York, the capital of the world.
Three Generations, same story
Photo Montage
102.87 x 27.94 cm
This montage displays a personal connection to me. My grandfather was an Italian that migrated to Venezuela in hopes of a better life, my mother is Venezuelan and migrated to the US with the same intentions and the toddler represents the future the past generations desired a better life for. The different expressions of each person embody different phases of an immigrants' journey which is up to interpretation to the viewer.
We Made It?
Color Pencils, Oil Pastel, Markers
30.48 x 43.18 cm
This work explores the "warm welcome" immigrants face when arriving in America. Although the US has been known for receiving multitudes of immigrants for years, there is still a prominent stigma about immigration present. The concept is explored through the distortion of the city and the people drawn purposely small. The symbolism is illustrated by the gate covering the city and the disgruntled Statue of Liberty representing the negative feelings regarding immigrants some citizens of the foreign country may have.
My Dreams are not Illegal
Ink, Yarn, Cotton, Acrylic Paint
45.72 x 60.96 cm
Many immigrants do their best to instill their native culture onto their children, and this is reflected through the childrens' physical appearance and objective of pursuing the better future their parents want for them. The use of illusion and distortion helps enhance the composition of the piece. The braid brings across one of the key objectives of the painting, maintaining their parents' culture.
A Piece of Something Bigger
Acrylic Paint
22.86 x 30.48
All immigrants share one objective, which is a better future for their children. Their goal when arriving in the US is to establish stable roots that will provide their children with greater opportunities than the ones they would have in their native home. This piece has a
combination of all my words, including the American dream and an appearance of one of my works. The distortion between the female and her daughter and the billboards symbolize how valuable this new life is to immigrants and their desires for their children.
Hasta La Raiz
Acrylic Paint
45.72 x 60.96 cm
Although immigrants leave their native homes, they do not necessarily abandon their traditions or roots. This art is about the beauty behind celebrating your culture, the traditions that unite millions from different parts of the globe. The broken shapes symbolize all the immigrants that have left but remain attached to what they were taught. These are things that allow immigrants to remain close to their homeland despite being physically far.
Back to my Roots
Acrylic Paint
30.48 x 43.18 cm
This is part of the three series artwork which explores Immigrants' life back home. This is a personal connection where my mother and her friends would do road trips to the countryside of Venezuela during Holy Week. Here is where they created the foundation of ever-lasting friendships who to this day help each other from different
parts of the globe. The title includes the word "roots," representing a piece where I explored nature, a different environment than the usual one in my art.
Traditions Never Change
Color Pencils, Acrylic Paint
45.72 x 60.96 cm
A majority of Latin immigrants are Catholic and a significant percentage of them have the tradition of getting their children baptized young. The use of a vibrant color palette, a multitude of patterns, shapes, and the contrast of colors are used to portray a difference between a South American Catholic church and a European church like Notre Dame, which is dark and barely any color aside from dark greys.