November 21, 2024 The Newspaper Serving LGBT Los Angeles

Painting Yourself the “Color Bonita”

There’s a certain narrative that often follows the LGBTQ+ Latino Community, or lack thereof.

“There’s not a whole lot of visibility for queer Latino men,” Merced-based artist Christopher Ramirez said.

So he set out to change that. Ramirez’ performance art “Color Bonita,” which debuts at the LGBT Center of Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan 19, looks at the intrinsic core identities and experiences of the Gay Latino Man.

“I wanted to find out who I am, what does it mean to be a Latino man, what are some of our adversities and obsticles, challenges we have come over or are unfortunately a victim to,”  Ramirez said.

What started as an ethnographic research project for grad school in 2004, has since evolved into a conversation for this marginalized group, thus opening up a dialogue for queer Latino men to express who they are.

Ramirez’ project largely looks at the family dynamic at play in the Latino Community and how that affects its queer members.

“Machismo in Latino culture is very masculine, defining expectations of what it means to be a Latino man,” Ramirez said.

Ramirez recalled a conversation he once had with his late great grandmother in which she told him that because he does not “walk like a girl, talk like a girl” he wasn’t gay and that he needed to find a wife.

“I think indirectly that put a lot of pressure on me,” Ramirez said. “I’m under a microscope thinking about every motion; How my hand moves, how I walk. Its been very hard in my own daily practice. All that anxiety that has been built up in my body over time”

“Color Bonita” is not only a creative outlet for Ramirez to express himself and his experiences, but it incorporates conversations and stories directly from two other gay Latino men, who wish to remain anonymous for privacy.

As Ramirez worked on the project over the years, he interviewed many men to work with. He quickly discovered that many in the Latino Community were still closeted largely out of fear of family rejection.

“It was a very powerful journey for me,” Ramirez said. “I was getting glimpses and self reflection of who I am in contrast to all the stories these men were sharing with me about their lives.”

“Color Bonita” is a new media art performance piece intimately connecting audiences with the queer Latino experience around family, religion, machismo and homophobia. Ramirez combines sound, images and interviews to illuminate the complexity of these histories as an act of witnessing and testimony. “Color Bonita” premieres at the LGBT Center of Los Angeles on Saturday, Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. For tickets and information, visit the eventbrite page HERE or email Ramirez at zencholo@gmail.com. 

Related Posts

West Hollywood Sheriffs Announce Arrest in Vicious Attack on Barney’s Beanery Valet

October 22, 2024

October 22, 2024

Suspect Charged with Attempted Murder, Assault in Series of Five Attacks The West Hollywood Sheriffs Department held a press conference...

Suspect Pleads Guilty in Scheme to Sell Stolen Warhol Artwork in Beverly Hills Auction House

October 1, 2024

October 1, 2024

The Warhol Print Was Originally Sold by a West Hollywood Gallery  Brian Alec Light, 58, of Hudson, Ohio, is expected...

West Hollywood Valet in Critical Condition After Brutal Attack, Suspect Identified

September 17, 2024

September 17, 2024

Kindly Barney’s Beanery Valet Attacked; LASD Seeks Community Assistance A longtime valet at a popular West Hollywood restaurant is in...

Santa Monica Artist Dave Quick’s “Return from the Burn” Exhibition to Open at Bergamot’s Lois Lambert Gallery

July 10, 2024

July 10, 2024

Pre-Burning Man Showcase Features Kinetic Art and Sculptures Coated with Playa Dust, Opens July 13 With upwards of 80,000 attendees,...

Film Review: Down Low

July 30, 2023

July 30, 2023

FILM REVIEWDOWN LOWRated R90 MinutesReleased March 11, 2023 By Dolores Quintana “Down Low” is funny. It’s a lean 90 minutes...

Film Review: The People’s Joker

July 23, 2023

July 23, 2023

FILM REVIEWThe People’s JokerUnrated92 MinutesReleased September 13, 2022 (Toronto Film Festival) By Dolores Quintana “The People’s Joker” is a heartfelt...

Skin Laundry Laser Focuses On Rejuvenating Skin

July 12, 2023

July 12, 2023

Facials don’t have to be invasive. That’s why Skin Laundry has taken a revolutionary approach to skincare technology, making the...

The Problem with Pride Outfits and How You Can Change It

February 20, 2023

February 20, 2023

Since pride month’s official declaration in 1999, we’re reminded every June of how far America has come following New York...

Happening Now: West Hollywood’s LGBTQ+ Arts Festival

May 23, 2022

May 23, 2022

By Susan Payne Happening now through the end of June, WeHo Pride LGBTQ Arts Festival celebrates the artistic contributions of...

California Trans Child Molester Gets 2 Years In Juvenile Facility

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A Los Angeles County judge ordered Hannah Tubbs, a transgender California woman, to serve two years in a juvenile facility...

Homeless Initiative Meeting In West Hollywood

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood’s Homeless Initiative works to address homelessness with a multi-disciplinary, multi-agency, collaborative response. It’s estimated that...

WeHo Premieres the ‘Moving Image Media Art’ Exhibition Series

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood announces the premiere of the Moving Image Media Art (MIMA) program and the worldwide debut...

LA Street Will Potentially Be Named After Anti-LGBTQ Singer

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

A portion of Bailey Street may be renamed to the late Mexican Mariachi singer ” Vicente Fernandez Street’ – a...

WeHo Spreads Word About Free Covid Testing

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

The City of West Hollywood is reminding residents that free COVID-19 testing is available for them.  Demand for COVID-19 testing...

Green Qween New Queer-Owned Cannabis Shop Will Open Downtown

February 2, 2022

February 2, 2022

Green Qween, a new queer-owned and queer-driven cannabis shop, will open in downtown on April 20th.  The shops owners, Andrés...