Today we’d like to introduce you to “Tina” Maria Cristina Tavera.
Hi “Tina” Maria Cristina, I’m so excited to have you on the platform. Before we ask about your work life, you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
My name is Maria Cristina, but my nickname is “Tina.” I am a Minneapolis-based multidisciplinary artist investigating the constructions of racial, ethnic, gender, national, and cultural identity via numerous mediums, including printmaking, installation, and public art. My artwork and activism are greatly influenced by my experience growing up with a mother from Michóacan, Mexico, and my Irish father from Saint Paul, Minnesota. At first, when I became a parent, my artwork addressed my role as a mother, examining gender expectations, especially the cultural differences, comparing myself to my grandmother, who had 9 children in Mexico. (She will soon be 105 years old.) Over the years, my artwork evolved to consider the larger aspects of Latinidad within the United States. I often use iconography from vintage comics, maps, board games, historical references, and contemporary pop culture imagery to express the human nuances of my community and heritage. As someone who is binational, bicultural, and bilingual (Mexico / US), I use my skillsets to help others reach their academic and professional goals. At Augsburg University, I mentor and educate McNair Scholars on advancing their research and preparing for graduate school. Through Serpentina Arts, I help Latinx artists reach their professional and creative goals. Serpentina Arts is a collective of Minnesota-based Latinx artists who work together to advance their artistic careers.
Please talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned. Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
For artists, the usual challenge is finding the balance between having space to produce work, funding for materials, and time for making art.
Thanks for sharing that. Please tell us more about your work.
As an artist, independent curator, and activist, I am influenced by my transnational upbringing between Minnesota and Mexico. Traveling between the countries with my extended family, artists, and artisans in Mexico City has developed into a fascination with Mexican culture and traditions. My artwork addresses issues tied to life and death, our society, and politics. The medium fluctuates depending on what I am trying to express regarding the complexity of identity. I have received fellowships and grants in the arts, including the ’23 US Latinx Fellowship, ’20 McKnight Visual Artist Fellowship, ‘o5 Bush Leadership Fellowship, and the Smithsonian Latino Museum Studies program. Other awards include Museum of Modern Art-New York, Forecast Public Art, Minnesota State Arts Board grants, Metropolitan Regional Arts Council (MRAC), and Institute of Mexicans Abroad (IME). My artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally. It can be found in the collections of the City of Minneapolis Public Art, National Museum of Mexican Art, Weisman Art Museum, Fargo Plains Museum, Oglethorpe Museum, Tweed Museum of Art, Minnesota History Center, and the Biblioteca Central de Cantabria, Santander, Spain.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
All Latinx visual artists based in Minnesota can be involved in Serpentina Arts, no matter what stage of their career (www.serpentinaarts.com). For anyone looking for mentorship, do informational interviews with people you admire and want to emulate. People enjoy sharing their life experiences; it is a great way to explore options.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.mariacristinatavera.com
- Instagram: Tina Tavera
- Facebook: Tina Tavera
- Linkedin: Maria Cristina Tavera
Image Credits
Headshot Photographer: Nicole Neri, Billboard Credit: Social Justice, Billboard Project by NE Sculpture Gallery, Factory Lenticular Sculpture: City of Minneapolis Public Art Installation: Americo: Celebrating the Spirits, Installation, Cargill Gallery, Walker Art Center,
