Cievel Xicohtencatl, Visual Artist
Cievel Xicohtencatl is a multidisciplinary artist that lives and works in New York and Mexico. As a first generation Mexican American, her personal work often explores themes of indigenous identity and culture and is heavily inspired by Mexican folklore. From illustration to puppetry; working through a diversity of mediums has allowed her to explore different platforms through which her work can engage with a public.
With a deep interest in Grassroots Arts, Xicohtencatl has collaborated with distinct Community Centers and Associations in New York City invested in helping the Latin American community. In 2011 she helped found MRD (Mexicanos de Rostro Desconocido) Arts Collective and managed programming up until 2014. MRD was a collective that established accessible arts workshops and classes free of charge to the local communities of NYC. Their mission was to create safe spaces for the Latino adult and youth where they could celebrate their cultural heritage through the arts. As such, Xicohtencatl looks for community engaging platforms that use arts and education as a tool for empowerment and social change.
Xicohtencatl, completed a BA in Studio Art from CUNY Hunter College in 2014 and was formerly an Assistant Arts Educator at El Museo del Barrio.
TATIP Work:
Cievel has been interning at PS 220 in Queens with CWP Teaching Artists Jay Howard and Alex Velozo.
“As a TATIP trainee, I was paired at PS 220, an elementary school in the heart of Forrest Hills, Queens. Despite the travel, this residency was absolutely wonderful and the mentors I had were so dedicated and caring, it was a great immersive experience. When it came time to present my own lesson plan, I felt completely supported by my mentors and their guidance. It was very inspiring to see their passion and observe their teaching style and now I look forward to finding new spaces where I can form my own.”
Most Memorable TATIP Moment:
“The most memorable moment with TATIP was during one of the professional development courses at City Lore. During this PD, we got to see some of the work that their artists in residency were doing throughout NYC schools and although my concentration is mainly studio art, it was still incredibly inspiring to see how dance and music were being explored in highly diverse classrooms. Even during the workshop, we were tapping into the multi-cultural roots of a variety of musical genres and poetry and as the class progressed the cultural connections we were establishing and similarities between all of them were just awe inspiring and beautiful. It was a great opportunity to see how artists were using this medium to tap into their student’s cultural backgrounds and use their art as a form of empowerment.”
Find out more about Cievel here:
Check out Cievel’s Lesson Plan she presented with her partner Taylor Valentine.
Interested in TATIP? Find out more about our 2017-18 Program!
See more of our 2016-17 Graduates in the 2017 TATIP Anthology!
