Identity, belonging and resilience: six Latinx artists in London you need to know

From Fernanda Liberti photographs of indigenous Brazilian culture, to José García Oliva’s participatory performances about migrant labour, London is home to a thriving community of artists from the Latin American diaspora. Ahead of V&A East’s first back2back live event, curator Rubén Salgado Pérez shares six contemporary Latinx visual and performance artists you need to know.

Hailing from across the Americas, these six London-based artists share a deep connection to their roots, while navigating the complexities of living in a global city. Their work explores themes of identity, migration and the in-between spaces that many diaspora communities inhabit—spaces where cultures merge, memories evolve and a new sense of belonging is forged. In a city like London, where life can feel overwhelming and isolating, their art offers a moment to pause, reflect, and engage in conversations about identity, belonging, and resilience.

These creatives aren’t limited to one discipline – they use painting, photography, sculpture, digital media, interactive installations, performance and more to demand an emotional response and bring about healing and connection. Instead of shying away from the complexities of displacement – of living between two worlds – they turn these challenges into powerful visual and sensory experiences.

Whether they’re reflecting on the ancestral ties to land or reimagining cultural rituals, each of these artists brings a fresh perspective on what it means to be Latin American in the UK today.

Rebeca Romero

Rebeca Romero is a Peruvian multimedia artist whose work merges cutting-edge technology with ancient traditions, creating a unique dialogue between past and future. She explores themes of memory, identity, and erasure through installations that often incorporate video, 3D printing, and sound. Romero’s art is a deep dive into the impact of colonialism and migration on Latin American communities, and she uses digital tools to reimagine the preservation of cultural heritage.

Paola Estrella

Hailing from Mexico city, Paola Estrella’s work blends speculative fiction, self-discovery, and technology to explore themes of intimacy, desire, identity, and the blurred boundaries between internal and external realities. Working across mixed media, video, installation, and performance, she often draws from personal experiences and social constructs. In her ongoing project Cenote Ring, Paola questions human relationships with natural environments and cultural narratives. Estrella also examines how technology shapes our understanding of reality and social norms, using immersive storytelling to challenge conventional views on gender, intimacy, and transformation..

José García Oliva

This Venezuelan multidisciplinary artist highlights the intersections of migrant labour, identity, and socio-political struggles through participatory art. His practice focuses on Latinx migrant workers, particularly cleaners, and their collective resistance against systemic oppression. Drawing from his own experiences, Oliva’s participatory projects and public performances challenge institutional hierarchies and prioritise shared authorship with collaborators. His recent work, the Latin American Protest Archive, emphasises art’s role in preserving activism and fostering solidarity across cultures. He is an essential voice in contemporary discourse on labour and identity.

Fernanda Liberti

This trailblazing Brazilian artist is reshaping the conversation around identity and cultural heritage. Known for her innovative use of photography, Liberti dives deep into the intricate narratives of contemporary Brazilian culture and its diasporas. Exploring post-colonial roles and experiences of people of colour, women and LGBTQ+ people, Liberti uncovers hidden histories, offering a fresh perspective on how they shape present-day identities. Her practice challenges viewers to reconsider their understanding of cultural origins and histories, presenting a view of the past that is both personal and collective. Liberti’s extensive body of work is a call to acknowledge and celebrate the diverse influences that contribute to modern identities.

Montañera

Montañera is the artistic name of Colombian artist María Monica Gutiérrez. María crafts a sonic and performative world that embodies the experience of being caught between multiple cultures. Her performances are a blend of electronic music and ritualistic elements, creating a visceral explosion of identity and resilience. By integrating traditional Colombian sounds such as Bullerengue and Currulao with contemporary electronic music, she creates an auditory landscape that is both nostalgic and forward-looking, reflecting the dualities of the diaspora experience.

Francisca Sosa Lopez

Francisca Sosa López is a Venezuelan artist whose work explores the complex emotional and political issues surrounding her homeland, particularly the migration crisis. Her practice is deeply personal, focusing on themes of displacement, memory, and reconstruction through a range of mediums. These include abstract and figurative paintings as well as participatory projects like Pa’ estar guindando, mejor caer (Better to Fall Than to Be Left Hanging). In this project, she invites participants to create their own papier-mâché mango, a symbol of hope for all Venezuelans longing to plant the seeds of a stable future yet to come.

Encounter work by all six artists and many more at InBetween: A Latinx Takeover – the first event in V&A East’s live programme back2back – on Saturday, 28 September 2024 at UCL East. Find out more.