UNM Artist Blends Myth, Identity and Found Objects in Striking Thesis Exhibition

Saúl Ramírez's 'Seeds of Compromise' at AC2 Gallery explores pain, identity and transformation through assemblages of personal and cultural objects.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 3:00pm

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An abstract close-up photograph featuring crumpled, tattered fabrics in shades of pink, purple and white, conveying a sense of personal transformation and the exploration of gender identity through the artist's use of found materials.Ramírez's assemblages of personal and cultural objects explore the transformative power of art, blending myth, identity and found materials into a striking visual poetry.Albuquerque Today

Saúl Ramírez, a trans nonbinary artist and poet, has blended the Mesoamerican myth of Tlazolteotl and the Greek myth of Persephone into a complex allegory of artistic upcycling and personal transformation in their University of New Mexico master's thesis exhibition, 'Seeds of Compromise: In Search of Digestive Architectures,' currently on view at the nonprofit AC2 Gallery in Albuquerque.

Why it matters

Ramírez's assemblages, which incorporate a mix of sacred, mundane and potentially embarrassing objects, challenge viewers to reconsider the symbolic potential of everyday items. By reconfiguring these found objects into shrine-like installations, the artist explores themes of identity, pain and the transformative power of art.

The details

Ramírez's wall installations feature a mélange of objects, both sacred and profane, from old library books and images of saints to lacy underwear and bondage gear. The artist places their own paintings, which range from representational self-portraits to abstract works, alongside these cabinet-of-curiosities-style displays. The idea of curating one's own art into a self-consciously 'museumified' presentation dates back to artists like Marcel Duchamp and Joseph Cornell, and Ramírez's work seems to operate in the personal, domestic, quasi-spiritual space of memorialization or enshrinement.

  • The 'Seeds of Compromise' exhibition is on view through April 24, 2026.

The players

Saúl Ramírez

A trans nonbinary artist and poet whose University of New Mexico master's thesis exhibition, 'Seeds of Compromise: In Search of Digestive Architectures,' is currently on view at the nonprofit AC2 Gallery in Albuquerque.

AC2 Gallery

Also known as the Albuquerque Contemporary Art Center, the nonprofit gallery is hosting Ramírez's thesis exhibition.

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What they’re saying

“By thinking of the studio as a stomach, painting can absorb an earthly function of digestion where waste and death are reborn as fertility and generosity.”

— Saúl Ramírez, Artist

What’s next

The 'Seeds of Compromise' exhibition will be on view at the AC2 Gallery in Albuquerque through April 24, 2026.

The takeaway

Ramírez's 'Seeds of Compromise' exhibition showcases the artist's ability to transform personal and cultural objects into powerful visual poetry, exploring themes of identity, pain and the transformative potential of art.