Statement:
Jiovanny Soto is a second-generation Mexican American mixed-media artist whose practice is shaped by curanderismo, music, photography, spirituality, and a callejero way of life. Through his travels across Mexico and the United States, Soto explores the complexities of identity, belonging, and cultural connection. Moving between celebrations, everyday encounters, moments of joy, and experiences of loss, he continues to build a deeper relationship with both his Mexican and Chicano roots.
Drawing from Mexican and Chicano visual culture, including the resourceful spirit of rascuachismo and storytelling , Soto uses imagery, found materials, and personal narratives to document glimpses of life as it is lived. His work reflects the experience captured in the phrase “ni de aquí ni de allá”—neither fully from here nor there. As someone who has often been viewed as not American enough because of his brown skin and not Mexican enough because he was born north of the border, Soto's work examines the space between these identities and the possibilities that emerge within it.
By crossing the U.S.–Mexico border that once seemed to define and limit his sense of self, Soto reclaims that space as a site of connection, memory, and discovery. His work is informed by the people, communities, and experiences he encounters along the way—whether visiting historical landmarks, sharing stories over a caguama at a neighborhood bar, or finding moments of reflection during long nights on the road. These experiences become a form of social research grounded in lived experience, human connection, and cultural exchange.Themes of community, celebration, and resilience appear throughout Soto's work. Mexican beer brands, for example, frequently surface as symbols of gathering, hospitality, and cultural pride. For Soto, sharing a caguama is more than a casual act; it is a gesture of friendship, respect, and belonging.
At its core, Soto's practice is about movement—across borders, between cultures, and through the relationships that shape us. As a callejero, he is always in search of new stories, new connections, and new ways of understanding home.
De callejero, Soto anda en todos lados menos en su casa.
(As a wanderer of the streets, Soto can be found everywhere except at home.)
Master In Studio Arts
Education, Spring 2023 MFA Fine Arts , San Francisco State University, San Francisco State, CA
Teaching Experience:
Spring 2023
While completing my three year masters program I received the opportunity to be a teacher assistant in Libby Blacks Intermediate painting class and observed her at work. Through the semester I served as an aid for any questions, examples, and any help needed. During this opportunity I developed and instructed my own assignment which helped the students in the conceptual development of their practice.
Fall 2023 -Summer 2024 San Francisco State University
Right out of the program I was offered to teach a drawing class at San Francisco State University. This offer was then extended for another semester to Spring 2024 to teach a fundamentals painting class and can possibly extend again to fall 2024 depending on the course availability.
June 2016- 2018 California Mini-Corps tutor.
For two years I was employed by Butte County of Education as a tutor for children enrolled in the California State Mini-Corps Migrant Education program. I worked with students in grades ranging from tk to 12th grade. I learned many things as a tutor, especially with my first hand experience of understanding the difficulties of growing up with English as a second language. Many of my students were constantly trying to grow themselves while living through life full of obstacles. One thing I understood was that everyone has their own way of learning. As growing and developing adults, we all deserve the patience to be guided and helped in our education.
Exhibitions
2026 “Dejando Huella”, Solo Show, Incline Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2026 “42nd Annual Art From The Heart Auction”, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, Ca
2026 Atrium Art Fair, Minnesota Street Projects, San Francisco, CA
2025 “AABA6 (Art Auction to Benefit The Artist)”, Incline Gallery, San Francisco CA
2025 “ Works of Heart Art Auction”, Loom + Ten Gallery, San Francisco, Ca
2025 “41st Annual Art From The Heart Auction”, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park, Ca
2025 curated the “ Student Juried show” at Sonoma State University alongside Chris Grunder (co-founder of Bassandreiner Gallery), Rohnert Park, Ca
2024 “40th Annual Art From The Heart Auction”, Sonoma State University, Rohnert Park CA
2024 “Fade and Feeling”(gave a haircut live as a part of a performance art piece for Sun Park), Room in Slash Art Gallery, San Francisco CA
2023 “AABA6 (Art Auction to Benefit The Artist)”, Incline Gallery, San Francisco CA
2023 “Meet the artist Vol. 4”, Evolved SF, San Francisco CA
2023 “Abrazame muy fuerte”, Dia De Los Muertos, Evolved SF, San Francisco CA
2023 “Other Structures”, Thesis Show 2023, San Francisco State University Fine Arts Gallery, San Francisco, CA
2023 “Home”, Group Show, SFO Museum, Harvey Milk Terminal, Forthcoming Oct. 2023, Curated by Libby Black, San Francisco, CA
2023 “Other Structures” MFA Thesis show, San Francisco State Fine Arts Gallery,
San Francisco CA
2022 “Atentamente”, SFSU Martin Wong Gallery, San Francisco CA
2022 “SFSU Art Student Union: Down With The Whiteness”, ICA San Francisco,
San Francisco, CA
2022 “Art as Medicine”, Evolved SF, San Francisco, CA
2021 “Mi Cronologia”, SFSU Martin Wong Gallery, San Francisco CA
2020 SFSU Martin Wong Gallery, San Francisco, CA
Residencies:
2024 Clearlake Art Residency, Clearlake CA
2024 Mexico City Art Week, invited by Incline Gallery, Mexico City Mexico
Publications
2017 Marry Callhan, "Windsor School & Community Rise Above Ugly Act of Election- Year Vandalism”, sonomamag.com, March, 2017, https://www.sonomamag.com/cali-calmecac-wall/
2020 Genesis Botello, “Student Spotlight: Jiovanny Soto”,
https://www.genesisbotello.com/blog/student-spotlight-jiovanny-soto, April, 2020
2020 Corona Portrait Project, March 27th, 2020, https://www.coronaportrait.com/soto
Volunteer Work
2024 Careerfair at Roseland creek, Elementary Santa Rosa, Ca
2024 Did three Artist talks at Windsor High school to a Spanish class, Windsor CA
2024 Recorded a video documenting a car show event I attended with my lowrider car club Latin Rollers Car Club Held by Elsie Allen High School, Santa Rosa CA
2024 Attended a Career Fair as an artist at Roseland Creek Elementary, Santa Rosa CA
2018 volunteered as a mural painter in the Climate March in San Francisco
community event on sept 14th
2017 helped cover up racist tagging at Cali Calmécac Dual Emersion elementary school during the Trump campaign. (News article under Publications of My CV)
2019 was an aid to creating the now known community courtyard at Sonoma State in the spring