For CSUEB art major Juan Barboza, art represents a powerful medium for telling stories of cultural and ancestral pride. Barboza expressed this belief through “Las Abejas Cantan en Do Mayor” (translated as “The Bees Sing in C Major”): a collection of paintings by Barboza that showcase his family and their musical heritage. Barboza’s work was exhibited in the Old Kiln Gallery in the Arts and Education Building earlier this year.

“This was my senior project. My passion is painting, and I created a series of pieces about family, about music, about my culture,” Barboza said.

A deeply personal piece to Barboza is a life-size portrait of his late uncle titled “El Gran Maestro.” Translating to “The Grand Teacher,” the portrait serves as a touching tribute to a man who spent 30 years playing mariachi violin.

“He was a violinist, a musician. I have a lot of love for mariachi, a lot of love for music,” Barboza shared, “There was a time he asked me to post his violin on Facebook Marketplace to sell… I hesitated, and I never did it on purpose. Now my cousin still has it,” he recalled. 

He later used the photo he took of the violin as reference for the painting. “The only way to kind of grant his wish is to sell it as a painting. And I think that’s what I’m going to be doing,” he explained. 

Hidden throughout the piece are five bees, each representing one of his uncle’s five children, all connected through music and memory. 

“There’s a little honeycomb in the violin — that represents home. Music is home,” he said.

Another standout piece featured Barboza’s mother, inspired by a vivid dream she had during a difficult battle with COVID-19. “In the dream, she saw my grandpa who passed away in 2018… He told her, ‘No mija, go home, you’re not supposed to be here,’” Barboza recounted, using his artwork to honor his family’s resilience.

Be sure to follow Barboza on Instagram, @KingBarboza, to request commissions and to view more of his artwork.