For thousands of years, art in various forms has been used to share stories, convey political messages, pass on cultural traditions and beautify spaces.
Often, art is created to spark thoughts on civil discourse, shock with the artist’s personal truth or evoke emotion of another’s circumstances — positive or negative — through the lens of depiction as simply a bystander.
But, for Chicago-based cinematographer and photographer Carlos Javier Ortiz, today’s cultural and political climate isn’t the sole reason or only time he finds strong images valuable for sharing the stories or experiences of both his world and the worldview of others.
From Sept. 14 through Oct. 18, Ortiz’s photography installation, “Inherit America,” will be featured inside the Riverside Art Center’s Freeark Gallery, documenting not just a specific ongoing crisis, but revealing continuity of what he describes as the quiet violence of systemic inequities from both daily news and the every-day erosions of individuals’ opportunities, safety and visibility.
“When done with intention, [art] becomes part of the historical record — something future generations can reference,” said Ortiz. “Advocacy through art matters because it allows us to reflect, to document and to create a space for dialogue. It doesn’t stand apart from history — it becomes history.”
According to Ortiz, “Inherit America” is a poetic documentary, diving into the undercurrents of the U.S., from labor and grief to celebration and resistance. The installation draws from a variety of photographic projects taken over two decades — a display Ortiz says is introspective of the country in which he grew up.
“It’s not a singular project, but a reflection. … what remains in history, for our children, grandchildren and beyond,” he said. “The work is inspired by books, films, newspapers, articles, events and history. I believe the power of my work does not rest in a single image, but in the accumulation of many images, coming together to tell a narrative.”
“Inherit America” is a collection drawing from portraits, documentary imagery, news coverage, street photography and personal archives. It spans politics, immigration, gun violence, and the quiet dignity of ordinary people. With pieces including elegy to the Great Migration, chronicles of urban communities shaped by violence and loss, hope and hardship, and images of migrant laborers, Ortiz says his photographs aren’t meant to romanticize the subjects, but rather, “hold close the quiet dignity of survival” depicting collective American stories as witnessed from the outside.
While the idea for this project has been in the works for several years, Ortiz emphasizes “Inherit America” holds unique importance to him as it reflects a personal visual history of contemporary America as he’s experienced since the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.
“When I lost my cousin-in-law, Michael J. Berkeley, in the Twin Towers, I began reflecting on how the country would change — and change it did,” he said. “As an artist, when making work, you never know if others will find it important, valuable or educational. The hope is to spark conversations, to create reflection from within and to preserve a visual history from the perspective of the artist — my own narrative. I believe each individual will bring their own approach — their own feelings and emotions — to what they see in it.”
Over time, Ortiz adds, what began as a response to a single moment evolved into a broader question into what America has turned into in the 21st century; particularly, how the nation has been impacted by war and national conflicts to resistance from citizens and moments of beautiful survival woven in between.
“[The exhibit] unfolds what it means to belong in a country that often withholds that promise — what a person will inherit,” he said.
Ortiz’s exhibit comes to Riverside by way of his networking connection with Laura Husar Garcia, exhibitions committee member with the Riverside Arts Center, who asked Ortiz if he’d be interested in participating in an exhibit at the gallery.
“I’ve known Laura for many years and have always admired her humanity, her understanding of the world, and her vision as both an editor and an artist,” he said.
The Riverside Art Center, 32 E. Quincy St., will host an opening reception for “Inherit America” on Saturday, Sept. 14 from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibition will be on view Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. through Saturday, Oct. 18, with a special artist talk by Ortiz hosted on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m.
For more information, visit riversideartscenter.com.
