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Gabriela Alemán (illustrator)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Gabriela Alemán
Bornca. 1995 (age 28–29)
San Francisco, California, U.S.
Other namesSmug Morenita
Occupation(s)Illustrator, painter
MovementPop art, Latin American art
WebsiteOfficial website

Gabriela Alemán (born c. 1995),[1] also known online as Smug Morenita, is an American visual artist and illustrator. She is a self-taught artist who creates comic-styled pop art that depicts Latinx culture and iconography.[2]

Biography

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Alemán was born and raised in San Francisco, California, U.S..[2] She is a self-identified queer woman and a first-generation American.[3] She is the daughter of immigrants from Nicaragua and El Salvador.[4][5][6] Alemán grew up in the Mission District of San Francisco, where her family was once evicted from their home during the "early dot-com boom".[1]

Career

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In 2019, Alemán helped to design and create the artwork for the Loteria cards passed out during the #MissionLoteria initiative in San Francisco.[7] On December 14, 2019 Alemán was one of the artists featured at the 6th annual multidisciplinary exhibition at the Acción Latina’s Juan R. Fuentes Gallery.[8] On February 5, 2020, Alemán was featured at the Galería de La Raza with the opening of the exhibit titled In The Name Of…?.[2] In addition to being an artist, Gabriela Alemán is also a community organizer and activist.[9] At 26 years old, Alemán co-founds the Mission Meals Coalition in order to provide fresh ingredients and meals to those in need.[9] Alemán and her sisters created the coalition during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.[9] They started out by delivering meals and groceries but now manage a community fridge providing free ingredients.[9] The Mission Meals Coalition does not receive any government funding and is kept running by donations and volunteers.[9] Donated items are inspected carefully and determined as safe to eat.[9] Alemán also makes sure that many of the groceries offered are widely accepted by the Latinx community.[9] Alemán is also the co-president of Latin@ Young Democrats of San Francisco and acted as a part time campaign manager for Gabriela López.[4] She has also worked as a Calle 24 council member, and a Chavalos de Aqui y Allá board member.[10]

Works

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  • During the 2019 #MissionLoteria initiative in San Francisco, Alemán worked alongside artist Ivan C. Lopez, and Valeria Olguín to design Loteria cards.[7]
  • In 2019, Alemán's artwork was featured at the 6th annual multidisciplinary exhibition at the Acción Latina’s Juan R. Fuentes Gallery.[8]
  • Alemán's artwork was featured at the Galería de La Raza with the opening of the exhibit titled In The Name Of…?.[2]
  • Some of Alemán's artwork is featured on the website for The Center for Cultural Power.[11]
  • In 2019, Alemán did an illustration for a magazine published by El Tecolote.[12]
  • On January 14, 2019, Alemán's artwork was on view at The Ramp Gallery.[13]
  • Alemán did illustrations for Disney+ and Wells Fargo.[14]

References

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  1. ^ a b Clark, Laura (2021-09-22). "In The Know Honors: Gabriela Alemán". Yahoo! In The Know. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  2. ^ a b c d "In The Name Of...? Works by Gabriela Alemán". Galería de la Raza. February 2020. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  3. ^ Gomez, Shirley (2020-09-17). "Latinx illustrators making your feed look like a virtual gallery". HOLA. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  4. ^ a b "Gabriela López Just Became the Youngest Elected Official in San Francisco". Teen Vogue. Condé Nast. 2019-01-11. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  5. ^ "15 Hispanic and Latinx Artists You Should Be Following on Instagram". Oprah Daily. 2021-07-16. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  6. ^ "How art, Instagram helped this Latina activist figure out why it's cool to be Central American". ABC7 New York. 2021-09-15. Retrieved 2023-12-08.
  7. ^ a b Mark, Julian (2019-11-29). "'Lotería'-themed 'shop local' campaign coming to Mission Street on Saturday". Mission Local. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  8. ^ a b "Cómplices en la Resistencia". Acción Latina. 2019-12-02. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "'Support Is the Force': At Family-Led Mission Meals Coalition, Serving the Community Runs Deep". KQED. 2021-01-08. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  10. ^ "Bay Area Nicaraguans react to country's political turmoil through art, solidarity". El Tecolote. 2020-01-30. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  11. ^ "Artist Gallery - The Center for Cultural Power". www.culturalpower.org. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  12. ^ "Family seeks justice for slain Indigenous mother". El Tecolote. 2019-04-25. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  13. ^ "Gabriela Alemán at The Ramp Gallery". SOMArts. Retrieved 2023-12-04.
  14. ^ "5 Notable Hispanics in Underground Art – Anna D. Smith Fine Art and Real Estate Broker". adsmith.broker ([better source needed]). Retrieved 2023-12-04.
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