Atlanta artist Yehimi Cambrón hopes that her solo exhibition at the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art tells a more complete story about the immigrant experience in the South.
Though themes of injustice and detention are present in her installations, “Yehimi Cambrón: Documenting the Undocumented in the South” is suffused with warmth and happiness, often inspired by her own fond memories of growing up along Buford Highway, just down the road from the university.
“[Oglethorpe] is the right place for the artwork to be because the people who inspired it are students here,” says Cambrón. “They live nearby and have easy access to the exhibition, so it’s for them.”
Cambrón partnered with Oglethorpe student Sophia Sobrino ’24 to produce this deeply personal program. The studio art major and young artist assisted with all aspects of the exhibition: building the maquette to plan out the installations, helping to paint some of the pieces, installing the artwork and even applying clay to the walls of a site-specific installation, “Chinga la Migra 2.”
“It was definitely a unique experience because I got to take my actual application of my studio art major and use it for this exhibition,” says Sobrino. “It was an amazing experience to actually get this hands-on involvement and to actually be a part of the collaborative process.”
The exhibition, on view through Oct. 15, is a poignant glimpse into the immigrant experience in the American South. It’s an opportunity for the community to come together and celebrate the happiness, resiliency and unity of immigrants.
The Oglethorpe University Museum of Art is hosting a closing event (Oct. 14, 7-9 p.m.) for Cambrón’s exhibition, which will include a lecture from the artist and a reception in the museum’s Skylight Gallery.