“Telas de Solidaridad” was a group exhibition organized by Grupo Cajolá and Gallery Bergen featuring five Guatemalan artists. Their work explores identity, migration, ancestral memory, and the shared pursuit of dignity and opportunity. The exhibition opened at the beautiful Gallery Bergen in the Bergen County Community College, Paramus, New Jersey on Thursday, December 11, 2025. It is open through February 5, 2025. www.gallery.bergen.edu
One of the participating artist Melida Rodas, who is the Visual Art Poet Laureate of
Jersey City, commented that as a first-generation Immigrant, she felt the exhibition resonated on a deep personal level:
“This exhibition holds a profound personal meaning for me. As a visual art poet laureate of Jersey City and 1st generation immigrant, it feels like another dream taking shape—one in which my work can reach back across borders to Guatemala and uplift the people of my motherland.
Lately I've been reflecting on the idea of reverse migration—a term new to me but a feeling I have known all my life. It is a philosophy born from the courageous young men of Cajolá who, after the tragic loss of their friend Pedro Vail in 2006, vowed to protect one another and imagine a future where no one would have to leave home simply to survive. Out of their grief and determination grew Grupo Cajolá, a collective rooted both in Guatemala and in North America, committed to dignity, opportunity, and community.
To share my art in support of their mission is an honor. To help lift up their legacy is a privilege. And to reconnect with the land and stories that shape my family is a gift I hold close. I invite you to join me in celebrating the remarkable artists I am proud to stand beside.” melidarodas.com
Three other Guatemalan visual artists presented:
Nivia Hernandez's sculptures--whether suspended or grounded--serve as powerful
talismans. Drawing from her family's migration from Guatemala to the United States in 1991, her work is rooted in the desire to protect and honor women and children affected by gender-based violence and machismo culture. Each piece functions as an alchemic object, a sacred charm dedicated to resilience across generations. niviahernandez.com
Luis Emilio Romero's meditative painting practice engages deeply with his indigenous Guatemalan roots. Through a visual language influenced by the history and ritual of
indigenous weaving traditions, his works carry spiritual, contemplative, and tactile dimensions that echo centuries-old communal practices.
Juan Carlos Vail lives in Quetzaltenango and has garnered several awards for his
paintings in Guatemala. He had an individual exhibition in Antigua and has exhibited
internationally in Mexico, Argentina, Peru, El Salvador and Paris. He was denied a visa to attend the opening ceremony of his work. Juan Carlos volunteers with Grupo Cajolá's Learning Center giving classes in art to the children in fourth to sixth grade.
The group Yaguarandi also performed featuring singer Samuel Arrilo on guitar, Marlon Valenzuela on guitar and Sergio Reyes on violin. Yaguarandi have established themselves as one of Guatemala's most accomplished and significant bands due to their distinctive sound, moving lyrics, and riveting live performances.
Grupo Cajolá wishes to acknowledge the support of Tim Blunk the curator of Gallery Bergen whose commitment to the mission of Grupo Cajolá made the exhibit possible. We also want to compliment him for the beautiful lay out and presentation of the works.
