One of her traits is her ability to use art to unify people and draw attention to underrepresented issues in society. As a professor of fine arts at Vanderbilt University, María Magdalena Campos-Pons has carved a niche with her style of art that focuses on colonialism, immigration, and feminism. This was largely inspired by her ancestry, which has links with enslaved Nigerians shipped to work on sugar plantations in Cuba.
Born in the Cuban province of Matanzas, the struggles of the people under the scourge of colonialism always felt alive to her. She was instrumental in the eighties when the New Cuban Art Movement was using artistic work to fight the repressive communist government.
She relocated to the US in the early 1990s, and gained employment at the school of the museum of fine arts at Tufts University in Massachusetts, according to the art newspaper. The difference in her geographical location did not dim her interest. One of her recent notable works is a collaboration with several female artists to shoot a film inspired by the Yoruba cleansing rituals, in support of U.S. Vice President, Kamala Harris. It sought to rally women to come together to unite and transform the country.
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Maria’s works are aimed at celebrating the contributions of women to the progress of the U.S. and other parts of the world. Her life and career have been shaped by her experiences as a black woman, growing up in a society that was struggling with the legacies of colonialism and slavery.
Her art is deeply rooted in her cultural heritage, drawing inspiration from Afro-Cuban traditions and the experiences of the women in her family. She uses a range of media, including photography, video, and installation, to explore themes of identity, memory, and history.
In another series, “Alchemy of the Soul,” Maria examined her personal history, drawing on family photographs and memories to create a rich textured exploration of identity and cultural heritage. The images are layered and complex, reflecting the complexity of the artist’s own experiences as a black woman in a society that often marginalizes people of color and women, according to Apollo magazine.
One of Maria’s most popular works is a series of photographs and sculpture installations titled “Notes on Sugar,” which explores the legacy of sugar production in the Caribbean and its links to slavery and colonialism. The images feature women dressed in white, surrounded by sugar cane, evoking both the beauty and brutality of the sugar trade, according to the University of Texas.
Through her work, Maria celebrates the contributions of women to nation-building, highlighting the often-overlooked roles of women in industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and transportation. Her art is a powerful reminder of the diversity and richness of American culture, and the importance of recognizing and honoring the contributions of all people, regardless of race or gender.
