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Title:	Mateo Blanco: My United States of America
Date:	9/29/2024 - 12/1/2024
Address:	Butler Institute of American Art, 524 Wick Ave., Youngstown, OH 44502,
Location:	Youngstown, OH
Hours:	Tuesday - Saturday: 11am - 4pm / Sunday: 12pm - 4pm
Cost/Cover:	free
Web Page:	https://butlerart.com/exhibits/mateo-blanco-my-united-states ...
Contact Info:	(330) 743-1107

Details:

Mateo is Colombian-American, and a resident of Orlando, Florida, of many years. His formal training began in Medellin, Colombia, under Debora Arango (1907-2005), the provocateuse painter and ceramist known for her politically charged portrayals and scandalous nude female figures. Ten years ago she was chosen as the image for the new Colombian’s 2,000 peso bill. For our exhibition, Blanco has painted several versions of the flag of the United States and explains why: “All of us have different colors inside or outside. We can change a color or a shape, but the magic and essence remain intact. It doesn’t matter what color or shape; it will always be recognizable. We have different colors of skin, hair, or even spirit, but all of us are Americans; the external differences hide what we have inside. I cherish my Colombian roots, but I love deeply my new homeland. It’s our differences what makes the United States so powerful, unique and rich. These paintings are my song to The Star Spangled Banner, and my personal homage to the American coat of arms above the bald eagle, E pluribus unum.”