La Güita [Calgary]
My name is Josee Palacio, I am a 2D visual artist practicing acrylic painting and traditional printmak-ing methods. My current practice centers on my Nicaraguan upbringing in a Canadian landscape, where the topic of identity has always been at the core of my message. My interest lies in creating work that helps cultivate community to reflect and question issues of time, place, and identity.
As an artist, I introduce Latin American Canadian narratives and strive to seek out justice and love for our bodies. When my paintbrush touches the canvas, I find myself answering the question, “how do I represent myself as a person of color in society” and this question is always infused in my work. Through the lens of my inescapable identity, my work recognizes the historical context of my identity as a Nicaraguan Canadian by way of examining conquered spaces controlled by years of Spanish colonized oppression. The figures in my work engage with political, social, and cultural concerns who demand justice and reclamation of their indigeneity, sacredness, liberation, and inherent divinity.
Mural Title
“Ninikan (Ni-ni-can)”
Mural Statement
“The translation of Ninikan (Ni-nican ) meaning ‘I am here’ in Nahuatl is a mantra I’ve come to know and use in my Indigenous reclamation process and also how I acknowledge the presence of my ancestors here and now. The word Ninikan resonates for me because despite it taking me some time to get here, they have always been waiting here for me to hold space for them, as they have always held space for me. In acknowledging their presence, it has given me the authority to claim my Mesoamerican lineage and add meaning to the visual language of this piece through the incorporation of Indigenous body movements and the celebration of my pre-columbian ancestors. This scene depicts a tender moment between myself and my ancestor at night, when the veil and connection is the strongest and the sacuanjoche flowers are in full bloom and most fragrant.”