Grant Summary
Fellowship.
Keywords
Artist Statement
Zeke Peña makes comics and illustrations as an accessible way to remix history and explore complex issues. He was born in Las Cruces, NM and grew up in El Paso, TX. He remixes history by sampling American stories and mythology to reclaim narratives marginalized by colonization and assimilation. River Stories, is a series of new media comics exploring the historical and cultural importance of the Rio Grande/Río Bravo in the U.S./MX border region of Paso Del Norte. The illustrated stories document oral histories, folklore and culture unique to the indigenous and Chicana/o/x communities living in the border region. River Stories is serves as an educational resource for marginalized students and communities by providing insight into brief stories that are rarely covered in the classroom. Zeke has a degree in Art History from the University of Texas at Austin and has published work with VICE.com, Latino USA, The Believer Magazine, The Nib, Penguin Random House, and Cinco Puntos Press.
  • The River, 2018, Zeke Peña, Serigraph/Silkscreen, 22x30 in. Courtesy of the artist.

  • River Stories, 2019, Zeke Peña, digital comic illustration. Courtesy of the artist.

  • River Stories (excerpt), 2019, Zeke Peña, digital comic. Courtesy of the artist.

  • River Stories (excerpt), 2019, Zeke Peña, digital comic. Courtesy of the artist.