Marta Pérez García: Bearing Witness Exhibition Opening

Marta Pérez García’s *Bearing Witness* is an exhibition presented by UMD’s Latin American and Caribbean Studies Center in celebration of Latine Heritage Month. The exhibition features Pérez García’s *Restos-Traces* series of sculptural female torsos, which responds to the rise in domestic violence against women during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bodies, made from handmade paper and materials such as metal wire, bones, and nails, take forms ranging from skeletal and amorphous to maternal and militant. They honor victims and survivors of gender-based violence, particularly in Puerto Rico, while exploring the physical and psychological effects of trauma, survival, and self-empowerment.

The exhibition opening is part of NextNOW Fest, The Clarice’s multi-day arts festival featuring artists from around the country and the University of Maryland campus. The festival is open to the general public.

When: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, through October 15, 2026

Opening: Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at 4:00 p.m.

Tickets: Free

Admission: General admission

Venue: H. J. Patterson Hall, Atrium

Artist: Marta Pérez García

Exhibition: *Restos-Traces*, a series of sculptural female torsos addressing gender-based violence, trauma, survival, and self-empowerment

Livestream: Not available

Accessibility: The venue offers wheelchair-accessible seating, size-inclusive seating, large-print programs, assisted-listening devices, adult and child-friendly sensory packs, and quiet spaces. ASL interpretation, audio description, and captioning are available for select events or by request at least six weeks in advance.