To celebrate the start of Latinx Heritage Month, we’re excited to showcase a series of original designs by Gabriel Pilar Pala.
We asked him to create visuals that reflect his experiences as a Latinx individual living in NYC, as well as focusing on the importance of mental health within the community. His artwork highlights resilience, breaks down stigmas, and offers a powerful representation of the Latinx experience.
Gabriel Pilar Pala is a Peruvian-American queer artist who was born and raised in West Harlem, New York. He received his Bachelor Of Fine Arts in Illustration in 2024 from the School Of Visual Arts. Gabriel is known for his mixed-media paintings which depict bold, colorful, and expressive portraiture that highlight the vibrancy of the BIPOC community. A distinctive trait of his practice is incorporating unique materials—such as braces and pearls—onto his paintings. This harmonious blend of 3D elements with traditional painting creates a dynamic and fun visual experience.