Hello! I’m Azucena (Azu) Esparza Hernandez and I’m currently a senior double majoring in Art Education and Studio Art. You may know me as the previous Layout Editor of the Echo, but I had to leave the position due to my student teaching (sad face). You might also recognize me from a previous Artist Spotlight where I shared my art. For this spotlight, I wanted to highlight my work from my senior project. It is currently up in the Christensen Center Art Gallery through May 9! I am so incredibly proud of my classmates and myself for getting our projects finished! I have been working with this group since our Mid-Program Portfolio Review last year and seeing everyone’s projects develop has been a delight to observe.

The name of my project is “Jubilation,” inspired by the song by Norma Tanega. Tanega was a folk musician in the 1960s who broke barriers by being an openly queer woman of color making music in a mainly white male-dominated field. The song “Jubilation” highlights the joy of loving someone as Tanega sings:

“Jubilation Jubilation

It’s the time to live!

Come be one, two, three

With me, you and I, and us”

My senior project is a large-scale collage that aims to represent the joy of living and loving unapologetically, and how it can serve as an act of resistance in the queer (specifically lesbian) community. The subjects of my work: objects in everyday life, people in the community and animals in nature demonstrate what brings hope and serenity against all odds. I use black-and-white photography, nature-focused paintings and found materials as an exploration of small moments of triumph. Authentic portraits of queer couples in the community represent what loving what one loves authentically can look like. Pieces of nature intertwined in collage symbolize beauty in everyday life and how it exists and survives even when no one is looking. 

The creation of this project is a culmination of all of the technical skills I have learned here at Augsburg. I want to thank my professors, specifically Lyz Wendland, for motivating me to push the boundaries of what collage can be and allowing me to grow as an artist throughout my time at Augsburg. I also wanted to thank Jenny Wheatley for all of her help in setting up my project through all of the changes that it went through. Most importantly I want to thank my partner, Kat, for showing me what true jubilation feels like. I never feel more at home than when I’m with you. 

Come check out everyone’s senior projects! Projects are placed in the Gage Family Art Gallery (First Level, Oren Gateway Center) and the Christensen Center Art Gallery (second floor). They are open until May 9, Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.