FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, September 18, 2023

New York, New York – Art21 is proud to announce the premiere of “Esteban Cabeza de Baca’s Time Travels” on Wednesday, September 20, at 12:00 PM ET. The final 2023 release of Art21’s digital film series, New York Close Up, “Esteban Cabeza de Baca’s Time Travels,” offers a look into the work and process of the artist. Watch the trailer on YouTube.

“The way that my paintings develop is in a very intuitive approach of what I feel, what I respond to, but also searching for who I am,” says artist Esteban Cabeza de Baca. “The process of art as being like a healing gesture of connecting to these histories, but then also reconnecting my relationship back to the land and to learning these histories before we lose them to time.”

Painter Esteban Cabeza de Baca quietly defies the laws of space and time, blending past, present, and future in richly layered landscapes of the American Southwest. From his studio in Queens, to on-site painting at the US-Mexico border, to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this short documentary follows a young artist as he strives to give form to both his personal story and the still-present legacy of colonialism. 

“As we were pulled into the landscapes of New Mexico, the US-Mexico border, and New York City, our filmmaking process aimed to look deep into the details of the places that inform Esteban’s art,” says César Martínez, Director. “My hope is that this film creates a portal into Esteban’s worlds, and the many landscapes that layer the dimensions of his creative and personal expression.”

Tune in to the premiere of “Esteban Cabeza de Baca’s Time Travels” on Wednesday, September 20, 2023, at 12PM ET at Art21.org and on Art21’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/art21org. To learn more email Art21 Manager of Communications, Hannah DeGarmo, at [email protected]. 

About New York Close Up

New York Close Up (NYCU) is devoted to capturing early career artists living and working in New York City. NYCU films have been accepted and honored by over 100 film festivals, including the BlackStar and DOC NYC film festivals, as well as the Academy Awards-qualifying, Big Sky Documentary Film Festival. NYCU films have also been honored with 2 Webby Award nominations and 7 Vimeo Staff Picks. Most recently, NYCU films have been accepted at the 2022 Frameline, Fullframe Documentary Film Festival, Miami Film Festival, and Rooftop Films.

New York Close Up is made possible with support from The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council, the New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature, and individual contributors.

About Art21

Art21 is a celebrated global leader in presenting thought-provoking and sophisticated content about contemporary art, and the go-to place to learn first-hand from the artists of our time. A nonprofit organization, Art21’s mission is to inspire a more creative world through the works and words of contemporary artists. Learn more at Art21.org.

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Press Contact

Hannah DeGarmo
Manager of Communications, Art21
[email protected]