Artists in Conversation: Identity, Community, & Culture Featuring Kelynn Z. Alder and Marlon Lainez

As part of its offerings in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, the museum is thrilled to offer this exclusive opportunity to meet artists Kelynn Z. Alder and Marlon Lainez and learn more about their work. The artists will have an insightful conversation on topics including immigration, identity, community, and more. The discussion will be moderated by Lisa Sayedi, Heckscher Museum Manager of Docents and Community Outreach. Several works of art by each artist will be on view. The conversation will be followed by a reception in the galleries from 4 – 5 pm.

Free
No registration required

Kelynn Z. Alder has created portraits of celebrities for editorials such as The New Yorker, documented sideshow performers in Coney Island, and traveled extensively to portray Aboriginals elders of Australia, tribal warriors of Papua New Guinea, and the Lacandon Mayan of the Mexican rainforest.  As a daughter of a Mexican immigrant, her rich cultural ancestry is proudly apparent in her work, along with her concern to advocate for human and anti-discrimination rights for all immigrants. Attempting to bridge cultural gaps through the arts among communities across Long Island and New York, Alder helped found Latino Arts of Long Island. In 2023 Alder curated the award-winning exhibition entitled SOMOS/WE ARE, for the Long Island Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian, featuring the works of 82 underrepresented Long Island Latinx artists. 

Painter and mixed media artist, Marlon Lainez completed his undergraduate program at Queens College with an Art Education degree, in 2015. He returned to Queens College to receive his Master’s in Fine Arts in 2017. Lainez has since been working as an educator in the Long Beach School District and simultaneously continues to work on his art. His inspiration comes from Latin America and traditional folk art but with modern issues as the focal point. His color palette is a major staple in the works, which refers to childhood innocence and the indigenous people of Central America. Ceramics has been a growing medium in Lainez’s work and they have been using this as a way to expand and connect to their background in painting.