[exhibit] Barrio in Technicolor // SF
‘Barrio in Technicolor’: Latinx artist brings magical realism to S.F.’s Mission.
Featuring a range of mediums — from printed tiles to oil paintings — the exhibition marks a milestone in her artistic journey.
January 31 and is on view through March 28, 2025.
Juan R. Fuentes Gallery at 2958 24th Street in SF.
Photo below:
One of Vanessa Shive’s favorite pieces in her upcoming show, Barrio in Technicolor, is a painting of a woman carrying a bouquet of florals on her back. It’s a familiar image — one she has seen at home in Ecuador and throughout the streets of the Mission. “It connects,” she says. The flower she chose to paint is common yet beautiful and personal, one she plans to include in her own wedding bouquet in just a few weeks. The painting, like many others in her show, reflects Shive’s ability to merge the “vibrancy of Ecuadorian culture with the complexities of urban life.”
About exhibit:
Shive’s art is rooted in magical realism, where everyday scenes glow with a fantastical twist. “[Magical realism] enables me to depict the richness of cultural identity and heritage in a way that transcends the ordinary,” Shive said. Through exaggerated color, surreal elements and layers of symbolism, her work reflects her experiences while reimagining the familiar, shimmering with the magic of the possible.
Shive draws inspiration from an array of sources. She admires the representation of cultural identity and social struggle in Eduardo Kingman’s painting Los Chucchidores (The Gleaners, 1936) and draws from the bold use of color by American painter Wayne Thiebaud.
After working as an illustrator for a wide range of clients with equally diverse aesthetics, Shive is now turning inward, asking, What calls to me? What am I the most passionate about?
