Food is Power: Reinaldo Gil Zambrano

Reinaldo Gil Zambrano

Artist Bio:

Reinaldo Gil Zambrano, or RGZ (@rgzprints), is a Venezuelan-born printmaking artist, muralist, community organizer, and co-host of the “Hello Print Friend” podcast based in Spokane, Washington. His practice encompasses a range of media, from intricate printmaking techniques and documentaries to large-scale murals, all deeply rooted in his cultural heritage and commitment to community engagement. RGZ’s work has earned national and international recognition, with exhibitions spanning the United States, Europe, and Latin America.

Currently serving as an Associate Professor of Printmaking and Drawing at Gonzaga University, RGZ brings a passion for education and mentorship to the next generation of artists. His teaching is complemented by his active role in the Spokane arts scene, where he is a co-founder of the Spokane Print and Publishing Center and the founder of Spokane Print Fest—two initiatives to foster collaboration and dialogue among artists and the wider public.

An award-winning artist, RGZ’s work has been showcased in prominent institutions such as the Northwest Museum of Arts & Culture and is included in the permanent collections of The Library of Congress (Washington, DC) and the Bernard A. Zuckerman Museum of Art (Kennesaw, GA). Recently, RGZ was honored with the 2025 Mid-Career Printmaker Award by Southern Graphic International, further solidifying his impact on the printmaking scene.

In addition to his studio work, RGZ is a co-host of the “Hello Print Friend” podcast. This platform celebrates the printmaking community through thoughtful conversations with artists and experts. Through his artwork and dedication to advancing the printmaking field, RGZ continues to leave a profound mark on the global arts landscape while staying grounded in collaboration, cultural dialogue, and community-driven artistic practice.

Artist Statement:

Food is Power: “La Comida es Poder” is an illustration that celebrates the interconnectedness of food, nature, culture, and community, inspired by the collaboration between nature and people that is necessary to make nourishment possible.

At the top of the image is an homage to the pollinators, symbolized by a bee surrounded by blooming flowers, vibrant fruits, and vegetables. Iconic crops such as corn, plantains, squash, and pumpkins serve as anchors of Latin American identity and resilience. These foods carry deep ancestral and cultural significance, not just as sustenance, but as symbols of collective memory.

In the lower part of the composition, a community gathers around a woman grinding corn on a traditional Mesoamerican metate, representing the continuity of Indigenous food practices. Nearby, another figure prepares arepas on a “budare”, connecting different regions and traditions within Latin America. The people bring offerings from the land and the sea, echoing the reciprocal relationships between nature and human labor.

The visual style is intentionally dense, saturated with movement and detail to evoke the dynamic flow of energy within a thriving community. Rendered in black and white, the piece draws from the aesthetic tradition of woodcuts, a medium I often work in, which emphasizes texture, contrast, and storytelling.

Through this work, I aim to honor the collective power behind food, the celebration of ancestral recipes like a bowl of soup (which exists in every culture), and how food is grown, prepared, shared, as well as the cultural knowledge and labor that sustain it.

#ArtistsForFoodJustice: Twelve Washington artists from Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) communities and marginalized identities interpret our monthly Meaning of Food themes through original digital artwork, premiering on the first day of each month. Learn more about this series and the artists here.