Photo credit: Tyler Matthew Oyer
Residency period: April - June, 2025
Maru Aponte (Puerto Rico, 1996) emerges through her exploration of watercolor, challenging its traditional and historical associations with “low art” and leisure. Her paintings and drawings executed both in the studio and en plein air investigate color and light as phenomenon's through which she examines and observes nature, while redefining landscape to evoke an intense sense of place, or comment on her Caribbean experience and identity. Aponte recently graduated with an MFA from Emily Carr University of Art + Design in Vancouver. Previously, she attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and graduated from the Painting Department of the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp. Aponte was the 2023 Emily Carr Fellowship Resident at Griffin Art Projects, North Vancouver and recently was a resident at the Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture 2024.
Sun Girl, 2024 Watercolour on paper 76 × 300 cm (29 ⅞ × 118 ⅛ inches)
Image credit: courtesy of the artist
Project Description
This project is a community-driven art engagement designed to uplift young Latinx individuals in Toronto by coming together to create a new, shared memory rooted in their unique cultural experiences and heritage. Inspired by the movement of ocean waves, representing waves of migration and diversity within the diaspora, this project honors everyone's journey, uniting them in a collective exploration of their memories, stories, and traditions. By connecting with one another, participants will foster understanding, create community bonds, and build a legacy of cultural resilience and solidarity.
