ONe Rad Latina is a master of expression through art. Within her vast body of work you will find elements of culture, style, NYC, and her Taino heritage. ONe works in a variety of mediums and was an early adopter of implementing AI into her work instead of pushing against it. Recently she went On the Record with us to share more about her background, influences, and culture.
How did you get your start creating art? Did you choose art, or did art choose you?
I’ve always created art; it’s always been a part of me. I feel like being a creative is something you’re born to do, even if some don’t find out until later in life that this is their purpose.
How did you come up with the moniker ONe Rad Latina?
The ONe is a call back to being an only child and having a solitary existence. Rad refers to my views on the world that have always been different from many of my peers and from being an 80s and 90s kid. Latina is a celebration of being Latino-americana.
Much of your work highlights your Taino ancestry. Why is it important for you to continue to represent your culture through your work?
I feel a duty to my ancestors who were silenced not only though traditional genocide, but also through a paper one, to spread as much information and knowledge though my art as I can. Each one, teach one.
What did it feel like to restore Rafael Rivera Garcia’s famous mural at the Taino Towers in East Harlem?
It’s an honor to be able to work on such an important piece of artwork. Giving it a new life for generations to come has really inspired me to continue to tell our stories through my work the way he did. The way he inspired me with his murals of Taino Kasikes is something I want to help continue for others and preserve his legacy as a Puerto Rican artist.
As someone in the Neurodiverse community, how do you feel ADHD and Autism has impacted your work?
Being an ADHD Autist artist has amazing advantages in many ways. My ability to intuitively see and make patterns in the correct composition or to learn a skill at a rapid pace is something I count as advantages.
There are drawbacks of course, socializing is a MUST when you’re an artist and this is something that can be difficult for me. There’s also the problem with burnout which can take a while to recover from. Although all ND people are different, this has been my experience.
While others have pushed back against AI art, you have embraced it. How has adopting AI changed the way you create?
AI has been a part of the creation process for me some time now. Many people don’t know AI is integrated [in] many of our apps and devices. The AI models that have been created like DALL-E-2 and Stable Diffusion and Chat GPT have helped me with everything from coming up with concepts to editing photos. Now that major brands like Adobe have added AI (text to image) to their suite of software I see more artists embracing it in the very near future as well.
You’re no stranger to the blockchain. Sales of your NFTs featured in your Spray NYC Project help to fund microgrants for emerging artists. You also recently signed to Bloqsy to create commissioned work. How do you hope Web3 will change the art world?
My hope is that through web3, artists can finally find the financial freedom they need to create. Traditionally artists have always been bound to the “starving artist” trope and all that does is keep the artist undervalued and underpaid.
Being in a decentralized space can eliminate many of the middlemen as well as offer royalties for future art sales, something I’ve yet to see in the traditional art world.
Your website has a lot of resources about AI and Web3. You also did an AI Art workshop for kids at the Parkchester Library. Why is it important for you to share your knowledge of these subjects with the community?
People of color like me, who come from immigrant families or from working class or poor households have traditionally been left out of the tech race. Our public schools have never really been equipped to teach our youth and have them on the forefront of any technological revolutions, so if someone like me, who has access and knowledge of new tech can finally change that narrative and give our kids, our people a fighting chance to get to the top, it’s ours and my responsibility to do so.
Social justice has often been a component in your work. Recently you created a block print about closing Rikers Island. Why do you think it’s important for artists to use their art to bring issues to light?
People listen to artists. We have the mic! Life handed us the bullhorn and we need to use it to leave the world better than how we found it.
The way we express our ideas can have an impact on a person where they themselves find the courage to spark change.
You have been creating a concept art series focused on your vision for NYC complete with sea walls and saltwater filtration systems. How do you hope the city will start moving towards a more sustainable future in our lifetime as we continue to see the effects of climate change?
Our city needs to change the way it sees itself and its citizens before we can see any real change.
Redirecting funds from bloated city organizations towards the ones who need it most, like infrastructure.
The city also needs to put forward more care and empathy towards its citizens, understanding that climate change is real and impacting poor and New Yorkers of color the most. The city must work together with scientists and community leaders; doing this would be the first steps.
This year is the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Some of your series are influenced by the genre. Which Hip Hop artist would you say has influenced you and/or your work the most?
I would have said Biggie, his influence on the soundtrack of my life is immeasurable but in the last few years, with all that’s been going on, Kendrick Lamar and Puerto Rican rapper Residente/Calle 13 have been a big influence on my work.
They both speak about issues of class and race as well as not biting their tongue when calling out the U.S. for its role in continuing systemic racism and its colonial presence and many occupations all over the world.
As an artist it’s important to have the freedom to speak truth to power. (I still love Biggie though.)
You work within so many different mediums. Do you have a favorite? Which medium do you want to dive more into next?
My favorite medium will always be painting, no matter where I veer off to I always find my way back to the canvas. I have been recently working with carving lino and rubber block prints. The repetitive movement and quiet work really helps me feel calm and make the work more meaningful.
If you have any upcoming events or announcements, feel free to share.
The Immigrants Are Us: The (G)eneration Project, at Harlem’s renowned Joe’s Barbershop for the launch of an innovative public digital art exhibit, “23 Stories/23 NFTs”.
This event will be held on Saturday, July 15, 2023 from 4pm to 8pm at Joe’s Barbershop, 2459 Frederick Douglass Blvd, New York, NY 10027, between 131st and 132nd Street.
Thank you to ONe Rad Latina for sharing her life, vision, and art with us! RSVP for “23 Stories/23 NFTs” presented by Immigrants Are Us: The (G) Project at gproject23stories.eventbrite.com.
Visit oneradlatina.com to learn more about this talented multi-disciplinary artist. You can also follow ONe Rad Latina on Instagram and Threads @oneradlatina. To commission ONe, go to her Bloqsy profile.
