Vanessa Garcia (artist)
Vanessa Garcia | |
|---|---|
| Born | Miami, Florida |
| Occupation | Playwright, journalist, writer |
| Alma mater | University of California, Irvine, University of Miami, Barnard College |
| Genre | literature, theatre, visual art |
Vanessa Garcia is a Cuban–American writer and multidisciplinary artist.
Biography
[edit]She earned a PhD in English from the University of California, Irvine, an MFA in Fiction from the University of Miami, and a B.A. in English and Art History from Barnard College.[1]
Garcia's paintings and installations have been exhibited throughout the United States and the Caribbean. Much of her work focuses on American-born Cubans and the "familial embargo," a term she coined to describe mixed feelings that many American families of Cuban descent experience due to both their love of Cuban culture and their reservations about returning to the island.[2]
Her debut novel, White Light, was an NPR Best Book of 2015 and First Prize in the 2016 International Latino Book Awards.[3] Her recent plays include The Cuban Spring; Grace, Sponsored by Monteverde; The Crocodile's Bite; and Amparo.[4][5] Garcia's nonfiction writing has been published in The Guardian, Huffington Post, ESPN, The Rumpus, the Miami Herald, and numerous other sources.[6][7][8][9][10]
Amparo
[edit]Amparo, an immersive theatrical performance directed by Victoria Collado and produced by Havana Club, is inspired by the true story of the Arechabala family of Cuba. The work showcases Jose Arechabala's original arrival on Cuban soil, the family's founding of Havana Club Rum, and the Cuban government's eventual seizing of the company followed by the Arechabalas' forced exile. The show debuted to limited audiences in Miami and New York, and is expected to expand to greater audiences in 2019.[11][12]
White Light
[edit]White Light is the life story of Cuban-American artist Veronica Gonzalez, who is handed the chance to break into the art world in close proximity to her father's sudden death. The story traces Veronica as she is split between the need to mourn and the pressure to create new artwork. Praised by Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka for its "lyrical pace and texture," White Light maps a young woman's struggle to distill her sorrow, rage, and love onto the canvas.[13] Kirkus Reviews called the novel "a lush, vibrant portrayal of the creative process, a daughter's love, and the unstoppable maelstrom of grief."[14][15]
References
[edit]- ^ "Vanessa Garcia's Grandfather Nurtured Her Love of the Arts". The Miami Herald. September 9, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ "Breaking the familial embargo with Vanessa Garcia". The New Tropic. August 11, 2015. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "White Light: A Novel by Vanessa Garcia". Shade Mountain Press. September 9, 2015. Retrieved December 19, 2018.
- ^ "The Write Place #3: Vanessa Garcia". Writer's Atelier. April 11, 2016. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ^ "Bacardi recently produced a 'Sleep no More'-like live experience recreating 1950s Cuba – take an exclusive look inside". Business Insider. April 7, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
- ^ "I'm in debt to my ex-husband. I pay him $120 a month". The Guardian. September 12, 2016. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "Individualism at Play in Terror: Contemporary Lessons in Theatre". HuffPost. February 13, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ "Runner on the Run: A Cuban Marathoner's Longest Haul". ESPN. August 3, 2017. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ "Vanity Fair". The Rumpus. February 16, 2010. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "Cuba, U.S. better off if their doors stay open". The Miami Herald. June 14, 2017. Retrieved December 10, 2018.
- ^ "The Airmail Cocktail". Fox News Channel. April 5, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ "Havana Club Rum Debuts "Amparo" – A Private, One-Night-Only, Immersive Theatre Performance". Chilled Magazine. April 4, 2018. Retrieved December 13, 2018.
- ^ "White Light". Small Press Distribution. September 23, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ "White Light". Kirkus Reviews. July 1, 2015. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
- ^ Laura Albritton (September 19, 2015). "White Light Review". The Miami Herald. Retrieved December 31, 2018.