Our America — ¡Nuestra América!

Art Exhibition

Our America — ¡Nuestra América! shows the richness, vitality, diversity, culture, and traditions interwoven with our flags from the Americas, Caribbean, and Spain to form a new tapestry in the United States of America. 

We acknowledge the sacrifices of previous generations and salute them for building a better country and world filled with opportunities for us all. With Latino heritage, and as Americans, we stand stronger than ever and in solidarity with our fellow countrymen and women. 

We dress our symbol of hope and freedom, the Statue of Liberty, to remind ourselves of the precious and shining light that lady liberty radiates throughout the world. We are America! 

Images of the Artwork: Anita Sillery ’19 and Raúl Manzano ’05

About Raúl Manzano

Raúl Manzano’s paintings have been shown in museums, consulates, galleries and community centers in Canada, Spain, Israel, and the United States, and have been published in scholarly peer-reviewed journals, magazine covers, catalogs, and periodicals. He is an award-winning artist, has lectured at leading New York City museums and universities, conducted painting programs in Barcelona, Spain under the auspices of the School of Visual Arts, and served as a juror at exhibition panel committees. His doctoral degree, in interdisciplinary studies with a concentration in museum studies, is from Union Institute & University. He earned a Master in Arts in Liberal Studies with specialization in Studio Practice and Curatorial Studies at SUNY Empire State College, and a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration and Painting at the School of Visual Arts. 

While most of Raúl Manzano’s artistic ideas and exhibitions have been devoted to raising awareness about social issues, nature has been the motto for his new work. He states: “While I enjoy the pleasure of painting for its own synergy whether depicting a complex ideology, a representational or abstract form, the contours or organic forms and the beauty on nature’s colors capture my imagination. The free spirit of sketching or a thoughtfully rendered drawing energize my creativity. I hope that these notions are embedded or suggested in my artworks for the viewer to interpret.” Raúl Manzano is a mentor in the visual arts at ESC’s Brooklyn location.

About Hispanic Heritage Month

Each year, Americans observe National Hispanic Heritage Month from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of United States citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The observation started in 1968 as Hispanic Heritage Week under President Lyndon Johnson and was expanded by President Ronald Reagan in 1988 to encompass the current 30-day period. It was enacted into law on August 17, 1988, on approval of Public Law 100-402.