cam.contemporarie presents its inaugural exhibition, mano a mano, to present the work of Chicago based artist Carina Vargas-Nuñez in their first solo exhibition. In the exhibition, Nunez explores a combination of familial and spiritual folklore inspired by oral history of their family’s experience living in Caimanera, Cuba,  a small town on the southern end of the island that borders the U.S. naval base on Guantanamo. Works also layer religious mythology derived from their family’s catholic roots, and is infused with emblems of santeria and magical realism.

Nunez uses these stories and expressions to confront themselves, their family history, and their experiences navigating religion. Certain animal and object motifs, such as the blue scorpion, snakes, mangos, and alligators, are prevalent in their work and can be traced back to tales of what has been handed to them from generations before. 

“Art has always been an outlet for me to explore my relationship with myself and my environment. My work uses paint and multimedia textiles to explore themes of disability, identity, and community. Through bright colors, I explore dynamics and emotions through illustrating people and their surroundings.”

Carina Vargas-Nuñez is a multidisciplinary artist who employs paint and textiles to delve into the tapestry of identity, disability, and family history. Born with a rare condition called VACTERL syndrome, Carina has used artistic expression from a young age to process their experience with disability, and envision worlds outside of the constraints imposed by their complex health challenges. This world building has continued into their practice today, where Carina uses bright colors and defined lines to illustrate narratives aimed at better understanding their sense of self. Through elements of symbolism and magic realism, the images Carina constructs are crafted from stories of their family’s migration from Cuba, their journey with queerness, and their history with cultural mythology and spirituality. Carina is currently based in Chicago, IL.