How Nando Álvarez uses art for social justice
By hola | Published | No Comments
(photos courtesy of the artist)
Since Nando Álvarez reached adulthood, art has been a constant presence in the life of the Ecuadorian-born visual artist. After high school, he decided to work as a photographer and study graphic design. He was also interested in social issues and wanted to advocate for changes that he felt passionately about, such as addressing immigration reform, violence, militarism, climate change and human rights violations against indigenous women. After he moved to the United States in 2015, Álvarez met and subsequently joined the Sanctuaries, a group of D.C. artists who fought for social issues and were interested in art.
Álvarez’s art focuses on social justice. To interpret his work, he has used screen printing, paintings, digital illustration and photography to make street murals, flyers and street art for societal movements. He says he tries to include human beings as the main idea behind his artwork by bringing together diverse experiences and traditions to show the serious situations we are facing as a society.
In fact, the artist has been working with local organizations to continue creating art. He participated in the D.C. Libraries’ Hunger Wall Poster project, an event that brought people together to create drawings and paintings to transmit messages of solidarity about the human rights struggles around the country among people of different races and cultures. Alvarez has also served as an artist in residence for Empower DC, a local grassroots organization, and was awarded an arts and humanities fellowship in 2022 by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.
Álvarez continues using visual art and visual language to spotlight critical social justice issues. He says he wants to create a deep connection with his audience for more profound exchanges with people about different cultures and the many problems facing society.
Read our interview below and find out more about why Alvarez believes that art offers a way to change individuals and society.
How did you become an artist? Can you briefly share what inspired you to get into creating art?
My path to making art was not straightforward. It was a little complicated along the way. I was always interested in arts in some way or another. But I didn’t have that kind of outlet to explore art itself. But before I finished high school, I decided that I was interested in photography. I found a job with a photographer as an assistant, which gave me access to cameras and equipment and allowed me to explore photography. Then I became interested in film. I wanted to pursue that, but I did not have the means. I’m from Quito, Ecuador, and there were no schools where I could afford to study photography.
So, because my brother was trying to push me to follow a career of some sort, I pursued graphic design. I was on that path for some years, but more on the side of graphic design for advertisement. At some point, I was like this isn’t the way that I want to do things, this is not the path that I want to pursue or keep following. But I was interested in social issues and wanted to connect how to advocate for things that I was enthusiastic about and care for with some of my knowledge in photography or graphic design.
When I came to the U.S., I was fortunate to connect with a group of artists called the Sanctuaries around 2015. It was a beautiful collective of different artists, people interested in social issues and art from diverse backgrounds. I became an artist through the generosity of folks who had the patience and the time to show me their knowledge. I was able to collaborate with them. That is how I became involved in the arts. I’m always trying to have that involvement in what is going on, what is happening and how I can use different forms of art to support people who are trying to move things forward.
Could you describe one of your more significant artworks and why it is very important to your artistic trajectory?
I don’t know if I can just select which one is the most significant. It has been a journey of learning. The work that I feel has more depth and is a little more mature is my most recent work, a series that I have been working on about migration, immigrants and immigration. I was looking for how to tell the stories in a way that feels honest to me.
I have a specific type of illustration that I like to use to portray people, where I try to mix a style of Bolivia, Ecuador and Peru. Specifically, Peru has advertisements called Chichas. They are a type of neon poster that uses black text. Indeed, it is a cheap way to promote popular events in hard-working neighborhoods. I was interested in the color and how color is used over there, but I would not get rid of the use of illustration. I tried to mix both.
I made a series of screen prints about immigration. I was exploring this mix of styles and techniques to see if I could find a voice that speaks over how immigration bridges cultures, thoughts and people. Something interesting came out. I am still trying to move it and to push a little bit more. But I will say that’s something interesting about my work.
One of your art pieces is called “Sin Miedo” (No Fear). Could you describe what it means to you?
Through my experience in this country, I have met a lot of immigrants, some people who have papers and others who are trying to survive in this country without papers. Some of the lessons I learned from them is… that it’s the desire to improve their lives that creates the fearlessness some people have. That is what I tried to put in there – like people will still live their lives. They try to do the best they can with no fear, even though the circumstances are really against them.
However, “Sin Miedo” has many levels… but the rest is an attitude of hope that is kind of the opposite of fear. It’s similar to what I tried to describe in the piece, that people will push the limits to live with dignity.
Where have you exhibited “Sin Miedo”?
My path through the arts has not been super into the art world. Most of my work has been on the walls around the city. I have done wheatpasting and [was] in a collective exhibition many years ago with other friends. However, it has not been in formal setups like exhibitions.
I’m interested in taking my art to people – trying to make things accessible to the average person, to nurture the piece by itself. But I’m also interested in the experience of making art. That is why I do screen printing.
What do you want people to learn when they view your art?
My intention is to communicate with people and to create a dialogue. I’m the stereotypical introverted visual artist.
It is a way to make a bridge, to talk with people and get to know more about diverse cultures and communities. That is the first intention of my art. Another layer could be my wonderment about us, the human species. I’m interested in portraits that can show what is occurring in the world and the very human dimension of all of us.
What inspired you to use art as a tool to show social justice?
Art has some qualities that we don’t even understand. I don’t understand them. I don’t think many artists understand them. But there is a way that art can connect with people in a very deep and integrated way in us as humans. If you are going to talk about something that is difficult, and you bring only facts that do not grab people’s attention, then the message will not connect with them.
We have many things to deal with in our daily lives. Obviously, if you are talking about an issue that I should care about, what are the facts? I have all these things going on in my life. However, if you bring art with something that is couched in levels of meaning that I don’t understand, I can appreciate that. If you bring me an issue that I should care about, I need to learn about it.
Art is a bridge that brings people closer to what is happening. Whatever the issue is, you can present it in a way that has depth – that does not sound manipulative. That is also what I love about what I do. I love to prepare the signs, take my screens, inks, materials and go where the people are. When people are just co-creating, it is amazing every time. When people use screen printing, it gives you the results quickly. You will have a design, whether it is a poster or a t-shirt. It is an amazingly simple act, where people will have some light in their eyes, and then be capable of doing it. Most people say no at first, that they cannot do it because it’s hard. But as long as people get a small glimpse of the screen printing process, there is something that awakens in them.
It’s beautiful to witness, even if you are not advocating for some specific purchase. Going into a community that is celebrating or a community that has never been exposed to this type of art, you go and they have the chance to make something that they appreciate, that is probably something beautiful and very transformative.
What visual elements, like colors, techniques, shapes, texture, do you decide to use in your artwork?
I think it depends. I’m not super analytical in some parts of the work. I use a lot of screen printing. If it’s something like a specific issue, talking about bigger aspects of the issue, I tend to use the composition of the colors and a specific formula to highlight what I think is the element in the piece that brings everything to light.
It’s complicated because sometimes you might think things are going to work, but then you rearrange things, and that’s when it works. But I love to use a lot of different techniques of printmaking. I do a lot of mono-prints and murals, and every kind of media has a different approach, composition issues and materials. However, I find that using paper makes me feel comfortable because, in a way, it connects me to human history. It’s such an old technology. I sometimes do paintings. Depending on the issue of what I’m trying to talk about, certain elements, materials, inks and textures are more relevant than others.
Can you describe Latin artists in Washington D.C. in one word and why?
I will say “heart” because the circumstances and the environment in which a lot of Latin artists become artists in the city has not been easy for one or two generations. Many came fleeing from war, difficult circumstances and going into different countries. Even with all these adversities, making art requires a lot of heart.
However, by “heart,” I also mean the desire, hope and love for the craft. It’s what Latin artists do for art that I find very inspiring. I think that’s why I will say “heart” because you will encounter different Latinx artists, and what they do, the work they do, there’s a lot of “heart” in it. There’s a lot of truth, there’s a lot of themselves, and that is beautiful. It’s not art that’s just a commodity. It’s art that has a tremendous cultural and social value.
This story has been lightly edited for clarity and concision.
– Story by Gloria Osorio
– Copy edited by Jordan Luz and Michelle Benitez
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