Duvian Montoya, Painter/Muralist, Public Artist's Talk and Q&A

Duvian Montoya, Artist, Muralist, Studio Manager, Curator and Community organizer based in Easton, CT. His murals and installation can be seen in public spaces in New Haven and throughout Norwalk, CT. Other works have been collected by SONO Collection, Housatonic Community College, the Mattuck Museum, Disney and Gulfstream Worldwide. He co-founded 2 Fairfield County Arts organizations, "The Saint Phillips Artist Guild" (Norwalk) in 2009 and "The Artists' Collective of Westport" in 2014. Duvian was gallery director of the Peanut Gallery in Santa Fe, NM., assistant curator at General Electric worldwide headquarters in Fairfield, CT., and he has curated and juried over 50 exhibitions. Duvian has also been the Studio Manager of world-renowned realist painter Robert Cottingham. His current community project is Artistic and Educational Director at the Norwalk Art Space, where free art education will be given to underserved high school students and where regional artists will have a premier art space for exhibitions and programs in Fairfield County. It is based in his hometown of Norwalk, CT.

Duvian's painting philosophy is based on his belief that we must tell the story of our present lives for future generations to build on like our ancestors did in caves 10,000 years ago. He says, "by studying our visual history, we can see our evolution and strive for a better tomorrow through a sophisticated visual language." This language is referenced in his gallery work and in his public art installations for the context of our current struggles, achievements, and aspirations. This is especially true in his projects at the South Norwalk Train Station and at the Norwalk Public Library. Duvian used the language of fashion in the train station to represent decades of transitory history in Norwalk, CT. In the library mural, he was able to share his parent's story of migration from Colombia, South America, to Norwalk, CT, by using architecture and design as his visual transitions from country to country. Duvian feels it's essential to understand the population you are creating for and adapt ideas around that said population. He finds complete joy in creating a narrative story that connects generations of people through symbols, color, texture, and shared visual cues.

Duvian Montoya's recent works speak to the need for human connection in this time of social distancing and isolation. Other works depict individual meditative moments. Architecture and its function as a cultural reference to its people and place, and other works deal with the need to stand united against injustice toward our black and brown brothers and sisters. He lives and works in Easton, CT, and has shown throughout the country and was represented by Garvey/Simon Gallery in New York until recently.