Carina Vargas-Nuñez: Altars
@ OH Art Foundation
1029 W 35th St, 3rd Fl, Chicago, IL 60609
Opening Friday, October 17th, from 7PM - 10PM
On view through Sunday, November 16th
OH Art Foundation is pleased to announce Altars, a solo exhibition featuring the work of Carina Vargas-Nuñez. On view from October 17th to November 16th, 2025, we invite all to join us for the exhibition opening on Friday, October 17th, from 7-10pm on the 3rd floor of the Zhou B Art Center.
Altars is a commemoration and celebration of those who have passed, the exhibition itself existing as its moniker. But Carina Vargas-Nuñez aims not to entrap memories; rather, they pay homage to them—honoring generational stories and traditional practices while allowing new narratives to emerge from their explorations. Just as trails of thread and swaths of paint lead the viewer’s eye from one motif to the next, pathways embody the nature of diaspora; neverending, they entwine culture, history, and family together. The artist embroiders devotional portraits in the same manner their foremothers did, honoring the lives of those who passed down such knowledge, culminating in a profound tribute aptly titled Altars. Vargas-Nuñez’s work is imbued with deep veneration and respect for those who came before them—and, despite it all, reveals the persistence of life, which endlessly and reverently carves itself from loss.
Carina Vargas-Nuñez is a multidisciplinary artist working in paint and textile. Raised in Madison, WI, and now based in Chicago, IL, Carina’s work utilizes worldbuilding to explore themes of identity, disability, and family history. Carina’s work has been featured at Cam Contemporarie, the Chicago Athletic Association, the Bridgeport Art Center, The Other Art Fair, the Logan Arts Center, and 5 Points Art Gallery. They have also designed a mural for Centro Hispano in Madison, WI. Carina has participated in residencies with Unpack Havana in Havana, Cuba and Cam Contemporarie in Chicago,IL, further enriching their artistic practice. Carina is self taught and has spent the past two years cultivating their art practice and community.
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Tags: Bridgeport, Carina Vargas-Nunez, Carina Vargas-Nuñez: Altars, Chicago, OH Art Foundation
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