I am always learning more about my heritage, but also making work to document life and history as we make it today. I am piqued by the industrial history of MA and the existence of Latinx folks throughout the state, especially how they first got here and have affected the culture. Being of the Puerto Rican diaspora that hails from New York City–what feels like another diasporic experience of Nuyorican culture in the South Bronx, I share my story to highlight this “double disconnect” and create space for that history.

Julián Kyle Cintrón Pabón (he/they) is a New England-Nuyorican artist and designer residing between Worcester and Boston, Massachusetts. With a creative sense cultivated by the essence of popular culture born in the South Bronx, the historical innovation within central Massachusetts, the dense history and robust traditions of the island of Puerto Rico; they are interested in the links that bridge these places and the hybrid culture that is one of the fastest growing in the United States. Julián’s work is multidisciplinary: Processes include mark-making, screen-capturing, archiving, destroying and reshaping to produce fluid works that manifest as video, installation, textile, painting, sculpture, and sometimes poetry. Process and product aside, most of their work is treated as painting.

 Since receiving BFAs in both Animation and Interrelated media from the Massachusetts College of Art and Design in 2018, Julián has continued to refine their practice through various creative jobs, private commissions and local collaborations. While much of their work is a worship of color, texture, and change; other aspects of Julián’s creative practice are inspired by the need to shape connection, share history, create community resources, make folks laugh, and explore creative pedagogy through youth programming, public art and thoughtful design.