She stood at a Wal-Mart in Escazú, Costa Rica, and felt like she was experiencing that moment in late autumn when you realize that all the fiery reds and oranges have faded and fallen to the ground.
In order to understand modern-day westernization, Crystal Latimer turns to its introduction in 1492 by Christopher Columbus. Her only visual records of this period are the grand historical paintings typically executed by European artists, whose bias and tendency for Western propaganda are evident in their collective artistic style. These narratives of conquest have been adapted to provide the structure of her work, while Latin American ethnology, as seen through the eyes of the local and the tourist, is embedded within this framework. Utilizing the connotations of mixed-media, Latimer recreates historical narratives that better represent the hybrid Latino identity caused by colonization and upheld by westernization.
Latimer is an emerging artist based out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Her work has been exhibited in the USA, UK, and China and resides in numerous private and corporate collections including those of Indiana State University of Pennsylvania, PNC Corporate, the Benter Foundation, and Wyndham Tryp Hotel.