LOUD curates a Las Curanderas: from Ashes , We rise" Exhibit at "The Gallery at Truax" at Madison College for Hispanic Heritage Month 2026
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LOUD is accepting submissions from Latina artists across Wisconsin. Deadline is May 6. 2026 at 11:59 pm
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Latina artists across Wisconsin invited to submit work to “Las Curanderas: From Ashes, We Rise” exhibition
By Madison365 staff Feb 9, 2026
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Latina artists from across Wisconsin are invited to submit work to Las Curanderas: From Ashes, We Rise, a group exhibition “centering Latina artists as healers, truth-tellers, and agents of transformation during a time marked by political injustice, violence against our communities, and collective resistance.”
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Inspired by the lyrics of Natalia Lafourcade’s “María la Curandera” — “Que los queme el fuego, que los queme el fuego y vengan nuevas flores” (“Let the fire burn them, let the fire burn them, and may new flowers emerge”) — the exhibition explores fire as both a literal and metaphorical force of destruction, renewal, and rebirth.
The exhibition will be presented at The Gallery at Truax, an educational and community-focused gallery at Madison College, in partnership with Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development (LOUD), a statewide initiative supporting Latino artists and fostering cultural connection throughout Wisconsin.
“This exhibition of Latina artists at Madison College Gallery next fall is designed to create the next generation of Latina curators and continue the efforts of LOUD to focus on showcasing Latino artists for the long-term future,” says Oscar Mireles, the founder and director of Latinos Organizing for Understanding and Development (LOUD).
Las Curanderas: From Ashes, We Rise invites artists to reflect on how we alchemize grief into power, devastation into hope, and ashes into bloom, according to a press release from the organizers. Whether abstract or figurative, spiritual or political, deeply personal or communal, this exhibition creates space for Latina artists to reclaim visibility, amplify their voices, release what no longer serves them, and rise together through creative expression.
Issis Macias
(Photo supplied.)
The exhibition is curated by Jessica M. Gutiérrez, a Nicaraguan-American watercolor and mixed media artist based in Madison, and Issis Macias, a Los Angeles–born abstract painter now based in Madison. Together, they envision the exhibition as both a sanctuary and a site of resistance, where healing, resilience, and collective power take form through art.
Jessica Gutiérrez
“This exhibition honors Latinas as curanderas — those who carry ancestral wisdom, resilience, and the power to transform pain into new beginnings,” say the curators, Gutiérrez and Macias, in a press release. “At a time when our communities are under attack, we gather through art to reclaim, heal, and celebrate our identities.”
Eligible media include painting, drawing, mixed media, photography, printmaking, fiber, sculpture, and installation. There is no entry fee, and existing or newly created works are welcome, provided they align with the exhibition theme. AI-generated images are not permitted.
Submission requirements
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Up to three high-resolution images (JPEG or PNG)
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Maximum artwork size: 30 x 40 x 2 inches
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Artist statement (100–250 words)
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Artist bio (75-100 words)
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Artwork details and contact information
To make a submission, click here.
For more information about Las Curanderas: From Ashes, We Rise, contact Jessica M. Gutiérrez at jessicamgutierrez111@gmail.com or Issis Macias at issismac@gmail.com.
Please include “Las Curanderas” in the subject line.