Hamilton, New Jersey’s Grounds for Sculpture is hosting an arresting and thought-provoking exhibition by Chicago-based artist Salvador Jiménez-Flores. Titled Raíces & Resistencias, the show presents a semi-autobiographical journey through migration, cultural identity, and personal resilience, and will be on view through August 1, 2027. The exhibition combines bold visuals, multimedia installations, and outdoor sculptures to create a fully immersive experience that challenges viewers to reflect on history, belonging, and community.
Inside the East Gallery, Jiménez-Flores demonstrates a masterful command of multimedia storytelling. The centerpiece, Memoria, Tierra, Trabajo: A Glimpse of the Semiquincentennial 2025, is an expansive 80-foot mural. Using earthy pigments and deeply symbolic imagery, the mural offers a counter-narrative to colonization, labor exploitation, and migration in the Americas. Key elements include a rotated map of the Americas to emphasize the continents as a continuous landmass, a snake tracing pre-1848 Mexico, and the dramatic inclusion of helicopters, fighter jets, and flames—an evocative representation of life under constant scrutiny and pressure.
Another standout work, Gritos Grabados en la Penca del Nopal, transforms the gallery space with a powerful installation. Jiménez-Flores portrays himself as a cactus surrounded by ceramic cactus paddles, each engraved with “gritos” or cries from immigration protests. Phrases such as “WE FEED YOU” and “WE ARE A NATION OF IMMIGRANTS” echo across the installation, turning the work into a collective call for justice and empathy. The artist’s personal experience merges with the larger immigrant narrative, creating an intimate yet universal dialogue.
Jiménez-Flores also extends the exhibition outdoors, where his themes of endurance and hope take tangible form in bronze sculptures. Caminantes/Wayfarers depicts two intertwined cactus figures navigating the desert, with bronze replicas of the artist’s own feet marking their journey—a symbolic reflection of migrant paths and perseverance. La Resistencia de los Nopales Híbridos: El Susurro del Desierto/The Resistance of the Hybrid Cacti: The Desert’s Whisper, a newly commissioned bronze piece destined for the park’s permanent collection, portrays the artist as a hybrid cactus wearing sunglasses, facing forward with a gaze toward the future. These outdoor works reinforce the recurring motif of the cactus, emblematic of strength, adaptability, and resilience.
Raíces & Resistencias invites visitors to engage deeply with questions of identity, displacement, and cultural hybridity. Jiménez-Flores merges the playful with the politically charged, crafting art that provokes thought while fostering empathy. His exploration of personal and communal experiences as a bicultural individual resonates across the exhibition, making it both timely and timeless. By translating lived experiences into striking visual narratives, the artist encourages reflection on justice, community, and the enduring spirit of migrants.
This exhibition is a must-see for anyone interested in contemporary art, social commentary, and immersive storytelling. Those looking to explore more cultural and artistic experiences in New Jersey can discover additional exhibits and events at Explore New Jersey’s Art & Culture section.
