Archive Talks: Thalía Gochez in conversation with Michelle Montenegro

Join us for a conversation between Thalía Gochez and Michelle Montenegro, artist and co-curator of Fotos y Recuerdos: Guatemala in Los Ángeles.

Thalía Gochez is a self taught visual artist living in Los Ángeles, California. As a child of Mexican and Salvadoran immigrant parents, Gochez draws most of her creative inspiration from her upbringing and heritage. Her work aims to highlight identity by honoring and prioritizing the subject’s story through an intentional yet stylized approach. Her photographs are genuine depictions of people of color with an emphasis on women taken in environments that mirror their identity offering space for conversation connection and community building.

This conversation activates the Fotos y Recuerdos exhibition, exploring the importance of community image making and archives. The exhibition features over 100 personal photographs submitted by community members who are part of the Guatemalan diaspora in Los Angeles, the largest community of its kind outside of Guatemala. Alongside the community archive are original photographs, personal family archives and installations by Michelle Montenegro, an LA based Guatemalan American photographer and Las Fotos alumni. 

Doors open at 6:30pm to see the exhibition before the event begins at 7pm. The conversation will include an audience Q&A.

About THE ARTIST:

Michelle Montenegro(she/her/ella) is a Los Angeles-based mixed-media artist. Her work is informed by the social and historical contexts that influence the various layers of her identity and experiences. In this approach, Michelle’s work focuses on issues relating to capitalism, migration, family ties, and intergenerational trauma within communities of color. Through honest storytelling and the photographic perspective, she aims to redistribute power to her subjects and communities.

Michelle is currently an undergraduate student at the University of Southern California majoring in Non-governmental Organizations and Social Change and minoring in Law and Public Policy. Her goal is to pursue a Masters in Urban Planning at USC’s Price School of Public Policy. She is a Las Fotos Project alumni and current mentor. In 2023, Michelle was recognized as the recipient of the Las Fotos Project Foto Awards’ Youth Advocacy Award for her use of photojournalism towards community advocacy and social justice efforts. 

Event Details

Thursday, May 30, 2024
7 - 8:30 pm

Location: Oxy Arts
4757 York Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90042