This Latina Artist Is Thriving and Representing Women in the Art World

The art industry has been and, to this day, continues to be dominated by white males, but that is changing and one Latina artist is joining the movement.

Women have continuously been underrepresented in the art industry, from leadership roles to the art market, generally speaking. The National Museum of Women in the Arts  (NMWA) reports that 87% of art museum collections are male-created, and 85% are white. The NMWA also says that 45.8% of visual artists in the United States are women, and there is a pay rate discrepancy reporting that women make around .74 cents for every dollar a man in the art industry makes.

Meliza Ruby Almonte, also known as By MelRub, is a talented Dominican-American artist representing women and Latinos in the world of art in her unique form. She understands the inequality that goes on, not only in the art industry but also in society. “Women, not only in the art world, but in society as a whole, still face inequality, but with that also comes determination and passion to accomplish our goals,” the artist told LATV. 

Photo Credit: Courtesy of By MelRub

It is one thing to create art as a woman, but Almonte takes it one step further by creating art on women. By doing so, Almonte brings her art to life, using the female human body as a canvas to reinforce women’s empowerment and send a powerful statement. With art as unique as Almonte’s, emotions are likely to be stirred as Almonte aims to amplify women’s confidence in themselves.

Almonte’s is proof of that determination and passion as her body art and murals have been showcased at various venues, including but not limited to; Hooks 360 Bar & Grill, Fresco El Patio Grill, Alicia Latin Cuisine, Kanela Lounge, and La Cocina. Currently, anyone can experience her murals in person at Alicia’s Latin Cuisine and Wynwood in Miami.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of By MelRub

Almonte told LATV that “art has evolved immensely and with that comes change. Change in what is defined as art, diversity in types of art, and also diversity of who, male or female, is creating the art.”