Embracing Guidance

Torres’ Embracing Guidance exhibition showcases a transformative blend of emotive landscape paintings, and conceptual sculptures. In this collection of artworks, she boldly explores the psychic space between energy, existence, and the guidance of our ancestors, pushing us forward with an invisible emotive strength. Her paintings create “mindscapes” that transcend traditional landscapes, evoking urban abstract landscapes both formally and conceptually.

Torres’ techniques are in the service of art that is emotionallyprofound, inviting her viewers to connect with the depth of her work. Producing art that is both a personal expression of her identity as an Afro-Caribbean feminist and an expression of a more universal consciousness. “Abstract art belongs to all of us. Take the time to understand it, feel it, learn from it, find the story that connects with you through color and movement,” Torres states.

Tamara is the daughter of Puerto Rican-born parents who relocated to New Jersey. Her photography and collages delve into the complexities faced by first-generation Americanized Puerto Ricans as she integrate her cultural heritage with feminism and rediscover her Afro- Caribbean roots. Initially, she began by painting abstractions to incorporate into her collages; however, she soon discovered that these elemental connections transcended cultural, linguistic, and other barriers, making them a crucial aspect of her artistic practice. Tamara works across various mediums, creating narrative photography, sculptural collages, and abstract “mindscapes” that examine the interplay of energy and existence. As a playwright, her work engages with themes of diasporic cultures, feminism, community, and mental health. Her art actively challenges stereotypes associated with the Afro-LatinX experience, utilizing symbols such as the “shadow person” to signify societal displacement. Inspired by her surroundings, ancestral imagery, and transnational music, she has exhibited her work extensively in the tri-state area as well as internationally.

In March 2022, Tamara served as an art ambassador for the International Women’s Day Art Connects Women Exhibition in Dubai. Community engagement and activism are central to Tamara’s artistic practice. In New Jersey, she has mentored university and high school students and participated in panel discussions and workshops at her studio, where she shares her experiences as an artist of color. She strives to break stereotypes, push boundaries, and move beyond trauma. Tamara leads community art workshops, including Fábrica De Fotos, a photography club for students and mentors, as well as the Trenton Feminist Book Club. Additionally, she is a continuous student in Afro-Latino studies.