If history is the record of the shared human experience, then art history is the visual record of that shared human experience. This is something I firmly believe and it is a principle that I try to instill in those who participate in my classes or attend my lectures. Of course, I have to admit that art historians, myself included, sometimes get caught up in (read “distracted by”) labels, definitions and classifications and forget that at the very heart of our passionate study of art is the human story.

This shared human experience is what is being explored right now at the Art & History Museums in Maitland, FL via their current exhibition In Between: Painting the Post Immigrant Experience. Showcasing the work of three artists with different heritages, this exhibition highlights the challenges of navigating past and present through the lens of the artists’ unique immigration stories. The exhibition encourages the viewer to consider the definition of home and whether it means the place where you are from or the place where you currently reside or a strange combination of the two. When you visit this exhibition and consider these ideas with a resulting feeling of being somewhat overwhelmed or a little unsettled, then the artists, curators and educators have all done their jobs. That feeling of trying to find your place in the world and attempting to tell your human story through art… that’s the feeling of being “in between.”

To those planning to visit this exhibition, my challenge to you is this…

Instead of evaluating the work according to it’s “place” in art history, consider the human stories being told and how they enrich the magnificent visual record of our shared human experience.

Here are a few things to consider when viewing the work of each artist in the exhibition along with some questions you may want to ask yourself…

Mar Martinez, Syrian American

I was thoroughly intrigued by the theme of paradox or contradiction explored in the work of Mar Martinez.

Are the animals fighting or playing? What is the relationship between the two animals? Are the animals enemies or lovers?

Does covering or wrapping an object protect it or make it disappear? Does the same principle apply to covering or wrapping a person? Is the act of covering a person (or oneself) spiritual and protective or is it damning and restrictive… or a combination of both?

Leo Cordovi, Cuban American

Leo Cordovi’s paintings play with the ideas of memory and reality resulting in landscapes that are both striking and familiar-feeling.

How does nature convey feelings and emotions? Can nature be overwhelming? Can nature cause harm to humans?

Can memories change over time? Can you remember an event, person or place incorrectly? What makes a memory real or accurate?

MJ Torrecampo, Filipino American

MJ Torrecampo forces the viewer to alter their point of view by quite literally painting scenes from an aerial perspective.

Does one experience life from a first person perspective? Are you the main character in the story or are you merely a background character in someone else’s story?

How do your memories play back in your head? Are your memories affected by the perspectives of others? Do your family members influence the story of your life? Who gets to tell your story?

In Between: Painting the Post Immigrant Experience is on view at the Maitland Art Center now through January 22, 2023.

For more information on this exhibition, please visit…