Salvador Sanchez’s surreal self-portraits and futuristic landscapes take center stage in a new exhibit at the Queen City Art Gallery at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital.
Sanchez explores the unique perspective of a person who was born hearing, suffered hearing loss as a child and was suddenly deafened in early adulthood. “The Journal of Deaf Life” outlines his journey to wholeness, along with the many complicated emotions that came with his deafness.
“Being able to express my feelings of loss through my art became an asset that changed the way I see deafness and life as a whole,” said Sanchez, a multimedia artist, illustrator, animator and graphic designer from New Rochelle. His vivid colors and evocative imagery juxtapose the realistic with the fantastical in an intense collection of oil paintings.
Sanchez’s work is divided in two. One side of the gallery shows Sanchez’s progress with eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy, a psychotherapy treatment designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. The other side illustrates how American Sign Language helped Sanchez find a way to embrace his identity as a deaf person. The exhibit is on display through January 2023.
“Sanchez’s exhibition is a celebration of deaf identity and personal healing. His paintings seek to open minds to make all of us aware that art is humanizing,” said Jodi Moise, Director, The Fine Art Program and Collection, Montefiore Einstein, and Curator, The Queen City Art Gallery.
An innovative rotating exhibition space located at Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital, The Queen City Art Gallery is curated by The Fine Art Program and Collection at Montefiore Einstein. It runs three seasonal exhibitions annually in support of Montefiore Einstein’s mission to heal, teach and advance the health of the communities we serve.
Exhibitions at The Queen City Art Gallery feature a wide range of artwork with diverse themes and media that appeal to a large and varied audience, while being respectful of cultural backgrounds and the New Rochelle community. Gallery exhibitions are designed to enrich the lives of Montefiore Einstein staff and the wider community and to enhance their understanding of contemporary art in a medical center context.
The Queen City Art Gallery exhibits original artwork and is open to all artists who live or work in New Rochelle or Westchester County. It is located in the main lobby of Montefiore New Rochelle Hospital, 101 Glover Johnson Place, New Rochelle.
