Overview of Avenida Nosara

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Avenida Nosara is a multidisciplinary art project that serves as both a personal exploration and a societal critique. Rooted in themes of displacement, resilience, and the struggle for rightful belonging, the work connects historical narratives with present-day issues of immigration, colonization, and cultural erasure. At its core, Avenida Nosara is a visual and intellectual journey that confronts the enduring impact of colonialism in Latin America while advocating for justice, visibility, and dignity for Indigenous and immigrant communities.

The title Avenida Nosara comes from the artist’s childhood in Costa Rica and reflects a deep personal connection to land, memory, and cultural identity. This body of work has been exhibited at the Rochester Contemporary Art Center and the National Women’s Hall of Fame. Through bold figurative imagery, mixed media, and written text, the project bridges historical awareness with modern advocacy.

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The Dorso Series (within Avenida Nosara)

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The Dorso Series is an intimate, story-based branch of Avenida Nosara. While the larger project addresses collective histories of colonization, migration, and resistance, Dorso focuses on personal memory — the quiet stories lived in childhood, passed through families, and carried silently in the body.

The word Dorso (meaning “back”) refers to the visual and emotional framework of the series: figures are often turned away from the viewer, symbolizing what is carried rather than displayed. These works explore memory, inherited survival, imagination, and tenderness as political acts.

The first work in this series is titled A Hen Story. It is based on the artist’s childhood memory of an uncle who convinced her that a neighbor’s hen would enter the yard and leave her a special egg. Years later, she learned the egg had been placed there by hand, turning the memory into a reflection on storytelling, protection, and the small rituals that help children feel safe and loved.

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Themes and Artistic Approach

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Avenida Nosara centers on the intersection of historical and contemporary injustice. The work explores:

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• Colonial Exploitation: The violent impact of European colonization in Latin America, including the theft of land, gold, and cultural heritage from Indigenous peoples.

• Cultural Erasure and Resilience: The destruction of Indigenous languages, traditions, and knowledge alongside the survival and strength of these communities.

• Immigration and Displacement: The lived experiences of Latin American immigrants in the United States and the tension between their contributions and systemic exclusion.

• Identity and Belonging: Reflections on first-generation immigrant identity through personal symbolism and lived experience.

Visually, the work uses bold color, expressive figures, layered symbolism, material texture, and recurring text such as “Where’s our gold?” to challenge colonial narratives and confront unresolved histories.

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Main Goals

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Promoting Reparative Justice
Avenida Nosara seeks to raise awareness about the long-term damage of colonization and advocate for concrete forms of repair. One of its central proposals urges European nations to offer 100 college scholarships and 50 seasonal work visas per year for Latin American descendants of colonized communities, framing education and opportunity as paths toward justice.

Expanding Representation in Art History
The project also seeks to transform educational systems by advocating for Latin American Art History to be a required component of four-year art degree programs across the United States. Through exhibitions, workshops, and outreach, Avenida Nosara calls for a more inclusive and truthful understanding of global art history.