Julianna Sanromán Rojas
As a painter from Southwest Detroit and nurtured in the Northeastern region of Jalisco, Mexico, Julianna Sanromán Rojas delves deep into her childhood, wrestling with an identity that feels both distant and intimately close. Her exploration involves tracing the intricate patterns of migration, delving into her yearning to reconnect, retrace, and reclaim elements of her past—an endeavor to translate her emotions and memories that have always lingered within her. These underlying intersections between her past and present serve as the canvas upon which her existence is painted—a life born amidst love, violence, solitude, faith, and homeland.
In her artistic pursuit, Julianna seeks to capture the essence of her desires, holding onto the hope that, in some alternate reality, her family would remain united. Through visual representation, she aims to liberate a part of herself from the relentless yearning for this idealized reunion. Julianna finds catharsis and self-expression in intertwining threads of remembrance and imagination, creating a tapestry that reflects the myriad facets of her being.
In her artistic practice, Julianna delineates both the literal and metaphorical aspects of her life – love, sorrow, recollection, loss, wonder, desire, and pain. Each representation is imbued with personal significance, a reflection of her cultural heritage and lived experiences. Despite the profound personal and sometimes haunting nature of her depictions, Julianna infuses her work with a lightness and playfulness, exploring themes of translucence and color with a sense of joy.
For Julianna, painting is a silent yet enduring collection of memories, saturated with the hues of homes once inhabited and moments cherished. She recalls her mother's appreciation for the vibrant colors of Michigan's autumn foliage, and she finds herself transported back to those moments of warmth and gratitude. Through the interplay of light and shadow, Julianna reflects on the passage of time and the layers of narrative that shape her understanding of self. Memory, like a tapestry woven through time, unfolds with each brushstroke, echoing the colors of her ever-present past.
CV
Education
College for Creative Studies
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Department of Art Practice
Selected Exhibitions
2021 In Retrospect, The HUB Gallery, Detroit, Michigan.
2021 La Gatita Amable, Bagley Central, Detroit, Michigan.
2022 Poor Man's Art Collection, The Gallery at Brewery Park. Detroit, Michigan.
2022 Art Prize, Fountain Street Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan.
2022 Rooted and Cloudy, U245. Detroit, Michigan.
2023 Center Gallery, Detroit, Michigan
2023 Resonance | Reverence, Gallery Camille, Detroit, Michigan.
2023 Art of BasBlue, Detroit, Michigan.
2023 When Care is An Art, Scarab Club, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Abstraction, Gallery Omnibus, Dresden, Germany.
2024 Transmitir, Vamonos, Detroit, Michigan
2024 In The Beginning, The Scarab Club, Midtown Detroit.
2024 Student Scholarship Show, Detroit Artist Market, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Sovereignty, Garage Cultural, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Vuelta, Vamonos, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 College for Creative Studies Student Exhibition - CCS; Detroit, MI
2024 More Than Today's Tomorrow, 333 Midland, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Gilda Snowden Memorial Show, The Scarab Club, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 A11eviate, Mexicantown CDC Galeria, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Ninos De Primavera, Rivers Edge Gallery, Wyandotte, Michigan.
2024 Carino, Vamonos, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Querencia, Garage Cultural, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 SDBA Atrium, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Art Prize, Monroe Community Church. Grand Rapids, Michigan.
2024 Plein Air Challenge Exhibition, Scarab Club, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Art of BasBlue, Detroit, Michigan
2024 Solo Show, Motor City Brewing Works, Detroit, Michigan.
2024 Nest: A Reflection of Safe Spaces, Detroit Artist Market, Detroit, Michigan.
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Awards/Grants/Residencies
2022 Detroit Society of Women Painters and Sculptors Scholarship
2022 WCEJ Thornton Foundation Music and Art Scholarship
2022 James Banton Endowment Scholarship. College for Creative Studies.
2021 Dean’s Award Scholarship, College for Creative Studies.
2022 Inside Southwest Summer Residency
2023 Common Grounds Cooperative Mural Residency
2023 B&E Ford Scholarship
2024 Center of Gravity Residency, Walkaway House; North Adams, MA
2024 Playground Detroit Emerging Artist Fellows
2024/2025 Modern Ancient Brown Foundation Post-Bac Residents
Selected Publications
2020 Hey, I'm Alive Magazine. Issue 1, 2, & 5 edited by Kyra Stemplinger
2021 Marigold, anthology edited by Alexandra Virginia Martin, Anhelo Anhelo
2022 Marigold, anthology edited by Alexandra Virginia Martin, Anhelo Anhelo
Artists showcased at Southwest Detroit Business Association's HQ - Axios Detroit