In a new film from our New York Close Up digital series, we watch artist Raúl de Nieves create an epic ‘stained glass’ mural for the 2017 Whitney Biennial. Born in Mexico, de Nieves came to the U.S. at the age of nine, and the installation tells the story of the artist’s journey as both immigrant and artist.
With gaffers tape, paper, and color gels, de Nieves creates a stunning light-infused narrative that begins with personal struggle and self-doubt, but ends with “a celebration of life.” One of the most acclaimed pieces of this year’s Whitney Biennial, the installation embodies the powerful stories of immigration and the passage from self-discovery to self-expression as an artist.
“The mural talks about this experience—this journey.
I feel really happy that I could put so much emphasis on this idea of ‘a better tomorrow’ in my artwork.”
