“Chroma Collective”, a pop-up art installation by Houston-based artist Karen Navarro, brings together vibrant interactive works that explore cultural identity, heritage, and the fluidity of belonging.  

Hosted in Discovery Green’s Sarofim Picnic Lawn, the exhibition was commissioned as part of an open call encouraging local artists to create engaging, participatory pieces for the public. 

“The interactivity of the piece wasn’t much of a choice, it was a requirement from the park open call, but I was drawn to this idea of being interactive because much of my work plays with this idea of the ‘moving’ image but can’t be touched in the setting it has been shown on,” Navarro said. 

The installation features a series of self-portraits and community portraits that mirror Houston’s many-layered cultural narratives. Drawing from her personal background, Navarro reflected on the connections between Indigenous motifs, national symbols, and local identities. 

“The piece draws inspiration from my layered cultural background, reflecting the fluidity of identity while mirroring the environment and the people who engage with it,” Navarro said.  

“It includes two self-portraits and five portraits of Houstonians, exploring the idea of cultural syncretism—particularly the blended symbols that appear throughout Argentine history.” 

Navarro’s work incorporates elements such as the Aymara aguayo textile, Mapuche ribbons, and the guarda pampa belt—motifs that symbolize strength, duality, and cultural hybridity. All this, combined with nods to Houston’s cowboy culture, makes Navarro’s art trace new lines of belonging across geographies.  

“Chroma Collective” is available for viewing now through November 2. 

For more information on “Chroma Collective” by Karen Navarro, you can visit the Discovery Green website.