BIO
I was born in Colima, Mexico in 1988, into a family of seven. In 2006, I moved to the United States and obtained a Green Card and General Education Diploma (GED) in 2009. I currently reside in Los Angeles, CA.
I worked various jobs, including as a street vendor and an Uber driver, to afford my education. During my time as a street vendor, I came face-to-face with the harsh reality of this hard and often dangerous occupation. This experience inspired the direction of my artwork to focus on street vendors, immigrants, and the unseen, hardworking, and often forgotten people who are part of Los Angeles the multicultural city that we all enjoy.
Various personal experiences also prompted the topic of my dissertation thesis – spotlighting the stories of undocumented immigrants in the U.S.
I hold a MA with an emphasis on Painting and Drawing from California State University, Northridge.
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Artist's Statement
I am Hedy Torres, an artist dedicated to shedding light on the experiences of immigrants and street vendors in the United States. Through my artistic practice, I endeavor to challenge prevailing prejudices, labels, and stereotypes that have historically marginalized these individuals, instead celebrating their unique and invaluable contributions to society, economy, and culture.
My current artistic practice is a tribute to the lives of street vendors, manifested through oil portraits and depictions of hands on canvas, steel cooking tools, paper, and other mediums. The choice to paint either portraits or hands in action allows me to capture a unique moment in the lives of vendors – one that often goes unnoticed by those being served. For the backgrounds of the portraits, I employ a variety of tools, including stencils, markers, and carefully affixed signs, crafting a visual journal of personal stories, experiences, and memories. In pieces featuring objects like tortilla makers or steel trays, the surface serves as an homage to the moment captured on it.
Through my artistic expression, I aim to contribute to a broader understanding and appreciation of the diverse stories and contributions of immigrants and street vendors, fostering a connection between the viewer and the subjects portrayed in my work.
CVV
EDUCATION
2018 Master of Arts, Painting, California State University, Northridge. Northridge, CA
2016 Bachelor of Arts, Painting and Drawing, California State University, Northridge. Northridge, CA
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2018 – Present Senior Housing Coordinator, Brilliant Corners, Los Angeles, CA
2019 – 2022 Art Instructor, Tzedek America, Los Angeles, CA
SOLO EXHIBTIONS
2019 Invisible Hands: Eleven Million. Buena Park’s Fine Arts, Buena Park, CA
2018 Invisible Hands: Eleven Million. TIOH Arts & Culture, Los Angeles, CA
2017 Eleven Million. Sponsored by CSUN Galleries, Matador Credit Union, Art council. CSUN West Gallery, Northridge, CA
DUO EXHIBITION
2022 Formas De Familia: Daniela Garcia, Hedy Torres, Artbug Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2023 35 x 35 Bicentennial. Departamento de Asuntos Culturales, Los A ngeles, CA
2022 El Futuro es Queer Mercado. PRPGMX, Mexico City
2022 All Media 2022. Irvine Fine Art Center, Irvine, CA
2022 Como Frida. Tonalli Studio, East Los Angeles, CA
2022 Begin/ Again. Open Mind Art, Santa Monica, CA
2022 Divina Madre. Tonalli Studio, East Los Angeles, CA
2022 Come Together. Open Gallery, Long Beach, CA
2022 Amor Eterno. Tonalli Studio, East Los Angeles, CA
2022 Intergalactic Open. Shock Boxx, Hermosa Beach, CA
2021 35 x 35 Bicentennial. Departamento de Asuntos Culturales, Los Angeles, CA
2021 All Media 2021. Irvine Fine Art Center, Irvine, CA
2020 Brand 48 Works on Paper. Brand Library Art Galleries, Glendale, CA
2020 Don’t Touch Your Face. Shock Boxx, Hermosa Beach, CA
2020 Paint: Medium as Power in a Time of Crisis. Barret Art Center, Poughkeepsie, NY
2020 The Same Thing Every day. Moorpark College Art Gallery, Moorpark, CA
2019 The 35x35 Self & Identity. Centro Cultural Cinematografico, Los Angeles, CA
2019 Brand 47 Works on Paper. Brand Library Art Galleries, Glendale, CA
2019 Los Angeles Paint Itself. Angel City Brewery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 We Rise 2019. Online Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 33rd Annual La Luzapalooza Exhibition. La Luz de Jesus Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2019 LA Open 2019. TAG Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 2018 California Open Exhibition. TAG Gallery, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Hear Our Voices. Avenue 50 Studio, Los Angeles, CA
2018 2018 CSUN Graduate Exhibition. CSUN Art Galleries, Northridge, CA
PUBLIC ART
2022 Streetscape DTLA: An opportunity to paint a mural outside the US Bank Tower Down Town, Los Angeles. Los Angeles, CA
2017 CSUN We Rice Mural: Spring semester collaboration with classmates working on Mural. Northridge, CA
COLLECTIONS
2021 More People Than You Know, “A Gift to The World.” Metro Art LA, Los Angeles, CA
2018 Working Progress. USU Student Art Collection, CSUN, Northridge, CA.
PUBLICATIONS
Orange County Breeze. (2019). Invisible Hands: Eleven Million by Hedy Torres | Orange County Breeze. [online] Available at: http://www.oc-breeze.com/2019/05/26/139266_invisible-hands-eleven-million-by-hedy-torres/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
Stories, L. (2019). Meet Hedy Torres - Voyage LA Magazine | LA City Guide. [online] Voyagela.com. Available at: http://voyagela.com/interview/meet-hedy-torres-hedy-torres-invisible-hands-eleven-million-east-la/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
Arts.tioh.org. (2019). Hedy Torres Invisible Hands: Eleven Million TIOH Arts and Culture. [online] Available at: https://arts.tioh.org/event/hedy-torresinvisible-hands-eleven-million/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
Martinez, C. (2017). Graduate Student Gives a Voice to Undocumented Students Through Artwork. [online] The Sundial. Available at: https://sundial.csun.edu/112040/arts-entertainment/graduate-student-gives-a-voice-to-undocumented-students-through-artwork/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].
Barajas, J. (2017). Retratos de Resiliencia Destacan las Injusticias de Donald Trump al Revocar DACA | La Opinión. [online] La Opinión. Available at: https://laopinion.com/2018/05/04/retratos-de-resiliencia-destacan-las-injusticias-de-donald-trump-al-revocar-daca/ [Accessed 7 Nov. 2019].