Salvadoran Artist Alfredo Milián Explores Immigration and Literature Through Lithography
Visual artist Alfredo Milián is a storyteller. Through his art, Milián narrates complex issues such as “El Camino de La Bestia,” the risky journey thousands of immigrants make every year to follow their “American Dream.” La Bestia or “The Beast,” freight trains that run through Mexico, and its passenger’s struggles and sacrifices are embodied in Milián’s black-and-white lithography series. His work is a tribute to immigrants and their courage.
What we admire most about Alfredo Milián is his distinctive way of narrating with powerful art pieces and creating conversations of decolonization. Besides capturing the journey of our Central American siblings, Milián is inspired by literature. Franz Kafka, Miguel de Cervantes, and Gabriel García Márquez are among the authors Milián has explored through his collections.
Milián’s artistic journey started in San Miguel, El Salvador, where he was born and raised. He emigrated to the U.S. to study high school and higher education in political and economic sciences in Washington D.C. His inclination for fine arts started at an early age. He expanded his artistic studies later on in Mexico City, where he was able to study art to a greater extent, particularly oil/acrylic painting, watercolor, drawing, and art history.
In the U.S., the visual artist engaged in several graphic arts workshops, particularly edging, lithography, xylography, and other techniques in this discipline. Later on, he moved to Alexandria, Virginia, and engaged as an affiliate artist at Discover Graphic Atelier in the Torpedo Factory art center, where he currently works. Milián is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Salvadoran Cultural Institute of Washington D.C. (Casa de la Cultura El Salvador).
His artistic contribution to society goes beyond his visual art literature, which has been exhibited in El Salvador and the United States; he also shares his passion through teaching. He is a fierce promoter of the lithography technique in El Salvador and the U.S.
We recently chatted with him as part of the series “Salvi Artists in the U.S.” In this interview, Milián shares his journey, his connection with El Salvador, and more.
His next event with the Salvadoran Cultural Institute is in December. Stay tuned for more details.
Can you tell us about the aesthetic of your work?
My artwork has varied in many forms; although most of it has been in the engraving area. One characteristic of my work is the link with literature. There is a tendency to create a series with images and text where the-black-and-white is the determinant factor. My most notable portfolios are: “One Hundred Years of Solitude” images based on the novel by Nobel Prize Gabriel Garcia Marquez, lithographs inspired by the novels of Franz Kafka, a collection related to the migration subject”: “El Camino de la Bestia” based on the Odyssey of the Central American migrants in their quest to reach the American Dream, the portfolio “Mesoamerican culture” among others. Most of those works have been shown in various art galleries, museums, or biennials.
Can you tell us more about your lithography project, “El Camino de La Bestia”?
The lithographic work El Camino de la Bestia deals with the emblematic subject of Migration in the crudest form. I call it the Odyssey to reach the American dream. The Beast is none other than a macabre train, the hope for many to reach the U.S. border. My portfolio shows the three thousand kilometers trip and all the cruelty that migrants suffer on this inhuman journey. The portfolio has been exhibited in many galleries and museums in El Salvador last and this year. This piece of work is representative of the type of artwork that characterizes my identity in fine art. For graphic art, I prefer my work in series form. You may view on YouTube here.
What piece of your artwork would you like to be remembered for?
It is hard for an artist to choose its work. We have preferences, yes, but it is you, the viewer, to judge it. In my case, subjects may determine the familiarity of the viewer what is better known. As is the case with my portfolio, “One Hundred Years of Solitude” for which I made illustrations, this refers to the Garcia Marquez Nobel prize winner book. You may view on YouTube here. Other series are less known, but they meet the purpose.
You mentioned you had a clear inclination in fine arts when you were pursuing your higher education in political and economic sciences. What inspired you to pursue that love for the fine arts?
During my formative period as I was in College in Mexico, it became evident that Mexico is a school in itself, rich in culture that awakens inspiration. Though pursuing an academic career, I was able to find time to take a series of art classes in painting watercolor drawing but no graphic art. This developed much later in Washington D.C.
How has your art evolved? How has your inspiration(s) changed over time?
Art evolves as it has to. My early art concentrated on oil and acrylic painting, some carbon and ink drawings. The importance I believe has more to do with inspiration, which becomes more vibrant and challenging. That is the part where graphic art takes place; the black and white I find more dramatic and suits me best to relate with literature. My form of expression tries to find the narrative of a story or a cause; like the migration drama, or the ancient Mesoamerican culture, to find our real identity, trying to decolonize our true history and not what was imposed culturally upon us.
What is your relationship with El Salvador?
Most of my artwork has been done in the U.S. However, I have frequently worked in El Salvador and share my experience with Salvadoran artists through seminars and art workshops. Teaching young artists has been the main purpose of instruction. I am the Founder of Chilamar Art Center in Port of la Libertad, where we teach eighth-grade pupils of the public schools. This work has also been extended through the Museum of the Historical Memory in San Salvador. In this regard, I share purpose and creative movement with other Salvadoran artists. A great deal of work is done in Alexandria, Virginia at the Discover Graphics Atelier, as part of the Torpedo Factory’s affiliate artist community.
Who were your mentors and/or idols?
Mentors are great masters and the most humble persons one encounters in life. Mentors are who we learn from, humans, animals, and nature. I try to find the motive, the artist identity, be it what you find in the cave art, the renaissance, or kinetic art. One inevitably concludes that it is art and artist in the act of creation give sense to human history. Yes, I deeply admire Pablo Picasso and many others that would be difficult, just to mention.
On my agenda, we have a portfolio on Franz Kafka; I find inspiration in his writing, also a series about Tales of El Salvador eastern region that at some point may become a book.
What is your greatest indulgence in life?
My great indulgence in life is doing art, as simple as that.
What advice would you give to a young person following in your footsteps?
To teach that art is serious dedication, not a pastime, if you are inspired, you are free, make your future show the world what you think you want to manifest with great force, do not despair, be consistent, and above all, true to yourself.
