Jesse Gonzalez
Jesse Gonzales, a lifelong resident of Michigan, has been involved in photography since his high school days. He received his BA from Michigan State University in 1971 and his MA from the University of Michigan in 1979. During the late 1970’s, Gonzales began exhibiting his photography along with other Latino artists in the Lansing area. Several of his photographs were published in the book, 500 Years of Chicano History.
Gonzales has photographed in Michigan, California, Illinois, Texas, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Spain. Besides his personal photographic endeavors, Gonzales worked with other Michigan Latinos, students and artists to create one of the first statewide Latino arts organizations in the state: The Raza Arts & Media Collective.
One of his favorite photographic subjects is the Virgin of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary), a figure revered by Mexicans and Chicanos throughout the U.S. He also continues to search out signage, representations, figurines, symbols and icons that evoke Latinidad and Chicanismo.
Gonzales has also been active in historical documentation of Michigan Latino history. This resulted in the production of “El Calendario Hispano de Michigan 1981.” The calendar covered Hispanic social, cultural, political and historical events in Michigan from 1781 to 1980. Recently, Gonzales was awarded a grant by “Artes Unidas de Michigan” to update the original calendar.
Gonzales has photographed in Michigan, California, Illinois, Texas, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Mexico and Spain. Besides his personal photographic endeavors, Gonzales worked with other Michigan Latinos, students and artists to create one of the first statewide Latino arts organizations in the state: The Raza Arts & Media Collective.
One of his favorite photographic subjects is the Virgin of Guadalupe (the Virgin Mary), a figure revered by Mexicans and Chicanos throughout the U.S. He also continues to search out signage, representations, figurines, symbols and icons that evoke Latinidad and Chicanismo.
Gonzales has also been active in historical documentation of Michigan Latino history. This resulted in the production of “El Calendario Hispano de Michigan 1981.” The calendar covered Hispanic social, cultural, political and historical events in Michigan from 1781 to 1980. Recently, Gonzales was awarded a grant by “Artes Unidas de Michigan” to update the original calendar.
Mural Behind Fence, color photograph, San Antonio, TX, 2010
Santos de Pepa, color photograph, Mercedes, TX, 2011
Tamales Hecho a Mano, color photograph, San Antonio, TX, 2010
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