Press Releases “La Comida es Poder”- Venezuelan Artist Reinaldo Gil Zambrano (RGZ) Honors Ancestral Knowledge and Collective Labor Through Latin American Foodways July 17, 2025 Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn Share on Email FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RGZ’s latest work transforms everyday food traditions into a powerful meditation on memory, movement, and the ancestral roots of nourishment for our July theme, FOOD IS POWER. SEATTLE, Wash. (July 15, 2025)—Northwest Harvest is proud to announce Venezuelan-born printmaker and muralist Reinaldo Gil Zambrano (RGZ) as this month’s featured artist in the #ArtistsForFoodJustice series. His commissioned piece, “La Comida es Poder (Food is Power),” visualizes the powerful connections between food, community, culture, and place. RGZ’s black-and-white illustration is a celebration of movement, memory, and nourishment. Rich with detail and symbolic resonance, the work draws from the aesthetic tradition of woodcuts and centers iconic Latin American foods such as corn, plantains, squash, and pumpkins, all staples that reflect resilience, identity, and ancestral knowledge. “La Comida es Poder” honors food not only as sustenance but as a form of cultural memory and resistance. “At the heart of this piece is the understanding that food is collective power,” says RGZ. “I wanted to show how communities, land, and labor come together to create nourishment. From bees and pollinators to women grinding corn on a metate, every element is a reminder that food connects us, across geography, across generations.” The scene RGZ creates is alive with energy: pollinators and blooming plants fill the upper section, while in the lower portion, people from different regions gather to share labor, food, and tradition. Figures prepare arepas on a budare and grind corn in a communal setting, reminding viewers that food practices hold stories, values, and knowledge passed down through time. RGZ is not only a celebrated artist but also an educator and community organizer. Based in Spokane, Washington, he is Associate Professor of Printmaking and Drawing at Gonzaga University and co-founder of both Spokane Print Fest and the Spokane Print and Publishing Center. His work has been exhibited across Latin America, Europe, and the United States and is held in permanent collections at institutions such as The Library of Congress and the Zuckerman Museum of Art. This collaboration is part of Northwest Harvest’s yearlong conversation, the Meaning of Food, a creative exploration of food’s role in our lives and communities. Each month, artists from marginalized communities across Washington interpret a theme related to food sovereignty and identity. Get Involved Community members can view RGZ’s interpretation of “Food is Power” and share their own food stories at northwestharvest.org/meaning-of-food. The artist’s broader work can be explored at https://rgzprints.com/ About Northwest Harvest Northwest Harvest is an anti-racist, anti-oppression organization committed to transforming an unjust food system into one that is more responsive and accountable to communities most impacted by discrimination. Beyond food distribution, the organization works to shift public opinion and impact institutional policies that perpetuate hunger and poverty in Washington state. Learn more at www.northwestharvest.org. About Reinaldo Gil Zambrano (RGZ) Reinaldo Gil Zambrano (RGZ) is a Venezuelan-born printmaker, muralist, and educator based in Spokane, Washington. His work blends traditional printmaking with community storytelling and has been exhibited across the U.S., Latin America, and Europe. An Associate Professor at Gonzaga University and founder of Spokane Print Fest, RGZ is committed to cultural connection through art. His work is held in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress and the Zuckerman Museum of Art, and he was recently honored with the 2025 Mid-Career Printmaker Award by Southern Graphics International. High-resolution artwork and artist interviews available upon request. Media interested in sustained coverage of this year-long community dialogue can contact Natasha Dworkin at NatashaD@northwestharvest.org or 206-715-1696. For general media information and resources, including key facts and statistics about hunger in Washington, please visit our Media Hub.
