Festival Poster artists

Each year, a local artist with ties to the Memphis arts community is selected as our commemorative fine arts poster artist. Derived from original work, the poster design is intended to communicate the vitality of our community and our festival.

Posters are for sale during the festival, available at the Merchandise Booth for $35, as well as before and after the festival at the Art Center Supply and Frame Shop on Union.

2023 FESTIVAL POSTER artist

Johana Moscoso

A Colombian–American artist currently living and working in Memphis, Tennessee, Johana Moscoso’s artwork explores co-narratives of South American and North American cultures from a subjective point of view. Gender roles, identity and migration are explored through movement and labor. Radical expressions inform materiality that manifests in a variety of mediums in large-scale dynamic installations. Her application of textiles, sculpture, and performance activates physical environments. These performative installations conjure the feminine presence while celebrating culture and migration.

More About JOHANA

Johana received grants from the Tennessee Arts Commission in 2023, the FY24 Individual Artist Fellowship; the Foundation for Contemporary Arts in 2022, Emergency Grant; Tri-Star Arts in 2021, Current Art Fund Grant; ArtsMemphis in 2020, The ArtsAccelerator Grant; and The Puffin Foundation LTD in 2019, among others.

She has attended various residencies, including Arts/Industry Residency at the Kohler Company in Kohler, WI (2017), BOLT Residency at the Chicago Artist Coalition in Chicago, IL (2016), and the ACRE Artists’ Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions in Steuben, WI (2015).

-Español abajo-

Johana Moscoso es una artista colombo-estadounidense que actualmente vive y trabaja en Memphis, Tennessee. La obra de arte de Moscoso explora co-narrativas de las culturas sudamericana y norteamericana desde un punto de vista subjetivo. Los roles de género, la identidad y la migración se exploran a través del movimiento y el labor. Las expresiones radicales informan la materialidad que se manifiesta en una variedad de medios en instalaciones dinámicas a gran escala. Su aplicación de textiles, escultura y performance activa ambientes físicos. Estas instalaciones performativas evocan la presencia femenina mientras celebran la cultura y la migración.

Johana ha recibido becas del Tennessee Arts Commission en el 2023, la beca FY24 Individual Artist Fellowship, la beca Emergency Grant de la fundación Foundation for Contemporary Arts del 2022, a beca Current Art Fund Grant de la fundación Tri-Star Arts del 2021, la beca ArtsAccelerator Grant de la fundación ArtsMemphis del 2020, y la beca de la fundación Puffin Foundation LTD del 2019, entre otras.

Ella ha asistido a varias residencias, incluida la Residencia Arts/Industry en la compañia Kohler, WI (2017), la Residencia BOLT de la fundación Chicago Artist Coalition en Chicago, IL (2016) y la Residencia ACRE Artists’ Cooperative Residency and Exhibitions en Steuben, WI (2015).

johanamoscoso.com

Original artwork on view at Memphis Brooks Museum of ARt

Embroidered tapestry, silk, thread, canvas and ribbon.
50 x 46 x 1 in.
Frame: 4" deep
Available for sale. Inquire at the Gift Shop.

La ciudad esmeralda (The Emerald City)

Posters: Signed and numbered $35.00. The edition is limited to 300 prints. Available for sale at the festival and the Art Center on Union Avenue.

Artist Statement:

Memphis me trae un sentimiento familiar. Hay muchas cosas de esta que me recuerdan a Colombia.

Memphis se esconde bajo los altos árboles que cubren la ciudad. Desde un edificio alto veo un mar de esmeraldas aunque sé que hay muchas casas y personas debajo. Esto también sucede cuando vuelas a la ciudad y ves a través de la pequeña ventanilla del avión todos los tonos verdes que revelan los árboles. Esos verdes me recuerdan a las esmeraldas.

Colombia es el principal productor de esmeraldas. Recuerdo pasar por la plaza del Rosario donde muchos comerciantes de esmeraldas las compran y venden. Cerca de Bogotá, la ciudad donde crecí, hay muchas minas. Existe una leyenda colombiana que cuenta que las esmeraldas son lágrimas de Fura, una mujer indígena que fue tentada y engañada por Zarbe, el dios de las travesuras. Las lágrimas de Fura son por la pérdida de su amor, Tena. Existe una esmeralda que se llama Fura y otra que se llama Tena.

La ciudad esmeralda rinde homenaje a Memphis, su río y a los inmigrantes que, como yo, tenemos lentes para ver la belleza de Memphis y su familiaridad con nuestros lugares de nacimiento.

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La ciudad esmeralda translates into English as the emerald city.

Memphis brings me a familiar feeling. There is so much of it that reminds me of Colombia.

I see Memphis hiding below the tall trees that cover the city. From a tall building I see a sea of emeralds even though I know there are many houses and people underneath. This also happens when you fly into the city and see through the tiny airplane window all the green tones that the trees reveal. Those greens remind me of emeralds.

Colombia is the top producer of emeralds. I remember passing by la plaza del Rosario where many emerald merchants buy and sell them. Close to Bogotá, the city where I grew up, there are many mines. There is a Colombian legend that emeralds were tears of the Fura, an indigenous woman who was tempted and tricked by Zarbe, the god of mischief. Fura's tears are for the loss of her love, Tena. There is an emerald called Fura and another called Tena.

La ciudad esmeralda honors Memphis, its river and immigrants that like me have a lens to see the beauty of Memphis and its familiarity to our birthplaces.