Many Trails
Many Trails
About the project
To depict the cultural and history of University Heights, artist José Ortiz focused on its architecture, landmarks, and signage on the local streetscape, as a way to portray the people who lived here over time. The title of the work relates to the specific journeys of the areas many residents, from Native Americans, through today's immigrant population and to the idea of travel and how one finds one’s way.
The first two panels of the 11 panels he created show the land inhabited by the Siwanoy Nation, a branch of the Mohicans, until the late 1600s, followed by representations of the first settlement of Europeans in the area. Cornerstones of the neighborhood are also shown: the Croton Aqueduct, St. Nicholas of Tolentine Church, and the Hall of Fame for Great Americans at Bronx Community College. The work, which is to be read serially, begins and ends with a Native American symbol that refers to the connection between the many people who have called this place home.
About the artist
José Ortiz is an Afro-Dominican multimedia artist and art educator whose practice spans painting, public art, and curatorial work. His paintings layer symbols and myths through photography, printmaking, collage, and paint to explore shared human connection across cultures. Ortiz has exhibited at Lehman College Art Gallery, the Bronx Museum of the Arts, and A.I.R. Gallery, among others. He has also curated exhibitions, designed sets for choreographer Sita Frederick, and collaborated on large-scale multimedia installations. He co-founded Areytos Performance Works, a multidisciplinary company rooted in Caribbean traditions and social justice.
With over 20 years in arts education and youth development, José has worked with Henry Street Settlement, the Bronx Museum, the Children’s Art Carnival, Anyone Can Fly Foundation, and the Joan Mitchell Foundation, where he developed programs supporting young artists. He served as Program Director at Groundswell and is currently Director of the Saturday Program at Cooper Union.