The Face of the World is on display in a proud portrait hanging from the walls of the Orlando Museum of Art, a new exhibition highlighting the diverse fabrics of the Orlando community.
The 22 people shown in these photos have built heritage in South America, Asia, Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, but have chosen to call Central Florida home. Another common denominator is that it was photographed at FusionFest by Juan David Tena, a Columbian photographer who currently lives in Orlando.
In downtown Orlando Festivals in 2023 and 2024, Tena set up a photo booth and invited people in traditional cultural outfits to sit for portraits. The photographer has always dreamed of being able to display his photographs at the Orlando Museum, and has recited his wishes to impress the museum staff with talent and passion.
“I saw the quality in his work, and it’s beyond the collection we have here. Juan David Tena is incredibly talented, so it was easy for me,” said Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon, the museum’s chief curator. “Fusionfest makes the invisible tapestry of the Orlando and Florida cultural scene visible. People can celebrate the richness of their differences.
After bringing a collection of 400 photographs to the curation team, the selection was scraped into 22 final images, printed at 30×40 and displayed at the “Portraits of FusionFest” exhibition. The remaining 300 or more photos will be displayed on a digital screen through a slideshow within the gallery space.
“I had an emotional attachment to the subject and their stories,” Tena said. “We wanted to make portraits of this size look like real life.”
In a cultural and political moment where immigrants are looked down on and thrown aside, Tena said he hopes the exhibition sheds light on the hardworking people who help us build our society.
“The real star of these 22 photos is the ambassadors. Many of them work hard every day as immigrants,” he said in a speech on the opening night of the exhibition. “We are not embarrassed to say that we are immigrants. Being immigrants is not a weakness, it is a superpower. It means that we can learn, grow and adapt. We can speak different languages, understand different cultures, and see the world in new ways.”
Ultimately, the presentation sheds light on the invisible fabrics that weave colorful tapestries from the Orlando community.
“This exhibition expands the boundaries between our city and our area. There’s something really great about locals who are based in town but see themselves on the walls of their museum by photographers from somewhere else,” says Claeysen-Gleyzon. “Each of these portraits exudes dignity and pride, but not self-centered pride. It’s pride beyond the individual. These people really understood the momentum and importance of the moment. They embody history, ancestors, nations, and generations.”
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If you’re going
“Juan David Tena: Portrait of FusionFest” will be on display at N. Mills Ave. in Orlando until May 4th. The museum is open Tuesday through Friday from 10am to 4pm and Saturday from 4pm to 4pm. Tickets are $20 per adult, $12 for seniors over 60, $8 for children aged 6-17, and free for children under 5. Active duty veterans, veterans and first responders are free to join. Details: omart.org
Original issue: March 28, 2025 5am Edit
