SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — A South Bend native is showcasing his artwork at IU South Bend’s Civil Rights Heritage Center for Hispanic Heritage Month.
Artist Federico Rodriguez said he has always had a love for art as far back as he could remember.
At the exhibit, his story is told through mouse traps, red bandanas, and McDonald’s food cartons — reclaiming old materials and trying to bring them a new life that many might not see at first glance.
Art is a universal language, and so somebody can definitely resonate with someone else’s emotions and or story and find truth in it,” said South Bend Artist Federico Rodriguez.
Rodriguez’s art reflects his family’s history, who traveled to South Bend from Mexico in the 1960s.
Coming from a family immersed in the arts, Rodriguez was encouraged to pursue his talents from a young age.
This year, he was 1 of 30 Hoosiers to receive a grant through the Indiana Art Commission, allowing him to experiment with his work.
I’m very humbled and thrilled to be able to showcase work here. Growing up in South Bend, you know, you can only dream and imagine about being able to showcase your artwork and then having some sort of impact in the world with it,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez said it’s an honor to have his work featured in an exhibit at IU South Bend’s Civil Rights Heritage Center.
Federico is an example of somebody who has that generational experience here. That story is a really important one for many people to learn about and see how Latinx communities, Latinx people have been a part of South Bend for a really long time,” said IUSB Civil Rights Heritage Center Curator George Garner.
The exhibit will remain open to the public through December.
I hope that I inspire others to continue to do whatever it is that they do in a creative way and think outside the box,” said Rodriguez.
Rodriguez has partnered with Saint Mary’s College next month to offer classes on a new mural painting project for children in grades 6-12. Click here to register.
