Salvador Jiménez-Flores Explores Identity, Migration, And Representation Through Boundary-Breaking Art
Photo: Salvador Jiménez-Flores transforms art into a powerful medium for cultural reclamation, representation, and envisioning a more inclusive tomorrow.
Reclaiming Identity, Reshaping Narratives
Salvador Jiménez-Flores navigates identity, migration, and cultural duality through innovative art, blending Mexican and American influences to challenge societal frameworks and envision a more inclusive, empowered future for marginalized voices.
Salvador Jiménez-Flores is nothing short of a visionary, a cultural storyteller who uses art as a lens to reimagine identity, challenge societal structures, and bridge worlds. His artistry defies boundaries—geographical, cultural, and conceptual—creating profound works that are as thought-provoking as they are visually captivating. Born in Jalisco, México, and now based in Chicago, Jiménez-Flores finds harmony within contrast, layering the personal and political in ways that resonate on a deeply human level. Through installations, ceramics, public art, and mixed media, he elevates the voices and truths of Latinx communities, offering nuanced reflections on migration, colonization, and the complexities of existing in two worlds simultaneously.
In this issue, we are honored to present an in-depth conversation with Jiménez-Flores, whose practice exemplifies the power of art to not only examine but transform societal perceptions. A recipient of prestigious awards such as the 2021 United States Artist Fellowship and the Joan Mitchell Foundation Painters & Sculptors Grant, his work is grounded in cultural reclamation, innovation, and resilience. His concept of “rasquache-futurism” challenges systems of erasure and exclusion, forging vibrant, empowering narratives that propel the marginalized into the forefront of artistic and societal dialogue.
Jiménez-Flores’s work is more than art—it is a movement, a reclamation, and a vision for the future shaped by voices that are often silenced. In this exclusive interview, we dive into the deeply personal and universal themes that form the backbone of his practice, uncovering the experiences that fuel his creativity and his commitment to reshaping the narrative around identity, representation, and belonging. As you read through his words, let yourself be transported into a world where cultural memory and futurism collide, where art becomes both a critique and a celebration of what it means to be human. Let Salvador Jiménez-Flores inspire you to see art—and the world—with new eyes.
How has your personal experience of moving from a rural town in México to a major city in the United States influenced your artistic journey and the themes you explore in your work?
My move from a rural town in Jalisco, México, to a major U.S. city like Chicago deeply shaped the themes I explore in my work, particularly around national identity, migration, and the experience of “the other.” I have always felt a sense of domestic alienation—being simultaneously included and excluded from American life. This experience of straddling two cultures, two languages, and two systems of belief manifests in my work as I navigate the complexities of double consciousness and the racialized experience of immigrants in the U.S. Through art, I am able to illuminate the challenges of assimilation and survival while critiquing the broader political and social frameworks that uphold systemic exclusion. The urban setting of Chicago also introduced me to a vibrant Latinx community, where I draw inspiration from public art and the blending of cultures, while also addressing the contradictions and tensions in how we’re viewed within the fabric of American society.
“Through art, I illuminate the challenges of assimilation while critiquing systemic exclusion.” – Salvador Jiménez-Flores
Can you elaborate on the concept of “double consciousness” as it relates to your identity and how it manifests in your art?
Double consciousness, a term coined by W.E.B. Du Bois, resonates deeply with my experience as an immigrant in the U.S. As Du Bois articulated, it is the feeling of always viewing oneself through the eyes of others, specifically in a society that casts you as the outsider. For me, as both a Mexican immigrant and an American, I often navigate this duality—experiencing a sense of belonging and yet always being made aware of my difference. This concept manifests in my art as I explore the tension between acceptance and exclusion. I often create works that highlight the social and political spaces where Latinx individuals are present yet marginalized. My installations and sculptures address this duality by juxtaposing materials and symbols from both cultures, reflecting the fractured experience of navigating an identity that is shaped by two often conflicting worlds.
What specific experiences or challenges have shaped your understanding of cultural appropriation, and how do you address this issue in your work?
As someone who has experienced the appropriation of my cultural heritage, I have a deep sensitivity to how visual symbols and traditions can be commodified or misrepresented. Growing up in México, many cultural elements that were sacred or communal were often reduced to stereotypes or marketed for profit. Moving to the U.S., I saw how Latinx culture was similarly appropriated, diluted, or misused in the mainstream. My work addresses cultural appropriation by actively engaging in a process of reclamation. I draw from my lived experience and cultural memory, weaving together pre-Columbian, colonial, and contemporary symbols in ways that honor their original context while simultaneously commenting on their re-contextualization in modern culture. My use of rasquache as a strategy is an example of this, taking what might be dismissed or devalued and transforming it into something empowered and resourceful.
Describe your process for blending visual and cultural references from both México and the United States in your hybrid portraits.
In my hybrid portraits, I deliberately combine visual and cultural references from both México and the U.S. to reflect the lived experience of bicultural individuals. I draw on pre-Columbian symbols, Catholic iconography, popular culture, and the aesthetics of futurism to create complex, layered portraits. Each piece begins with research into historical and cultural contexts—whether it’s exploring the impact of colonization on Mexican identity or how migration shapes the Latinx experience in the U.S. I then blend these references with found objects, recycled materials, and digital technologies to create something that feels both ancient and futuristic. This process mirrors my experience of moving between two cultures, navigating the contradictions between tradition and modernity. Through these hybrid portraits, I aim to give voice to those who exist in multiple worlds but are often not fully seen in either.
How do you define “Rascuache-Futurism,” and what role does it play in your efforts to reclaim narratives around identity and representation in art?
Rasquache-Futurism, as I define it, is an aesthetic that combines the resourceful, survivalist ethos of rasquache with the forward-looking visions of futurism. Rasquache has always been about making do with what you have—transforming what might be discarded or overlooked into something powerful. In my work, this means using found objects and repurposed materials to create art that speaks to both resilience and innovation. By incorporating elements of futurism, I aim to envision a future where marginalized voices—especially people of color—are centered, empowered, and visible. Rasquache-Futurism allows me to reclaim narratives around identity by showing that we have always had the tools, creativity, and agency to define our own futures, even when we are overlooked or excluded from mainstream discussions of what that future looks like.
In what ways do you hope your work will impact the perception of people of color in discussions about the future and representation in art and media?
I hope my work disrupts the dominant narratives that have historically erased or marginalized people of color in discussions about the future. In much of mainstream art and media, the future is imagined as white, a vision that erases our histories, contributions, and potential. Through my art, I challenge this erasure by creating work that centers the Latinx experience, as well as the experiences of other marginalized communities. By presenting alternative visions of the future—ones that are chaotic, vibrant, and full of contradictions—I hope to shift perceptions so that people of color are not only included in the conversation about the future but are recognized as leaders and innovators within it. Ultimately, my goal is to contribute to a more inclusive and representative future, one that reflects the diversity and complexity of our present world.
Eagle, Serpiente, Nopalli, 2023
Salvador Jiménez-Flores’s “Eagle, Serpiente, Nopalli, 2023” is a masterful site-specific installation that intertwines cultural symbolism and artistic innovation. Using brass, cast iron, electroplated brass, and clay slip, Jiménez-Flores creates a dialogue between tradition and modernity, evoking a powerful sense of transformation and resilience. The installation resonates with vibrant energy and deep cultural narratives, drawing viewers into a mesmerizing experience. Jiménez-Flores showcases his extraordinary ability to craft art that is both timeless and evocative, cementing his position as a visionary in contemporary art.
Image courtesy of National Museum of Mexican Art. Photo Credit: Michael Tropea.
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