Moisés Salazar Tlatenchi: A Quién le Importa

A nonbinary artist and first-generation Mexican American raised by undocumented parents; Moisés Salazar Tlatenchi infuses their work with their lived experience.

Salazar’s art frequently addresses the lack of agency and freedom the marginalized face in physical and theoretical spaces, and the trauma and barriers specific to queer and immigrant bodies. They create works using materials and techniques—such as faux fur, glitter, and sequins, crochet, and tufting—that honor Salazar’s familial cultural heritage and speak to the legacy of queer craft.

For A Quién le Importa, Salazar reimagines the gallery as a sanctuary of inclusivity and acceptance, filling it with mixed-media paintings and soft sculptures exploring alternative forms of identity, belonging, and community through the lens of queer kinship. The exhibition’s title is taken from a pop anthem beloved by the world’s Spanish-speaking LGBTQ community that celebrates self-affirmation and openness about one’s sexuality. Drawing from the song’s fierce spirit of pride, self-respect, and liberation, Salazar’s glittering, jewel-like portraits of their queer kin extol the joy that comes from the mutual support and love provided by friends and chosen family.

Image: Moises Salazar, Angel, 2022; faux fur, glitter on board, and sequin applique; 36 x 24 in. Courtesy of the artist and Mindy Solomon Gallery.