¿Identity? Victoria Suescum and Lee Michael Peterson

¿Identity? is an English word contained within Spanish punctuation. It is what might be considered “Spanglish,” an English–Spanish hybrid for a Latino reality experienced in and between two languages. The paintings and drawings on view explore the emotional and physical realities inherent in the multiple heritages of two artists, Victoria Suescum and Lee Michael Peterson. Victoria Suescum was born to Panamanian parents and moved permanently to the United States in 1988. She has lived the experience of a Latina immigrant for 28 years. Raised in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley; son to a Caucasian father and Hispanic mother, Lee Michael Peterson is the product of differing but equally influential cultures. ¿Identity? grew out of a mentoring relationship between Suescum—an internationally exhibited artist established in her career—and Peterson, who received his M.F.A. from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2013. Consequently, in addition to its cultural perspectives, the exhibition is also an exploration of the relationship between two generations.

¿Identity? is supported by Drs. Elizabeth D. Moyer and Michael C. Powanda.