NATHALIE BERMUDEZ
Nathalie's artistic journey is a captivating story of passion, perseverance, and cultural fusion. Originating from Colombia, where she received her early training at the Actors Studio Academy, Nathalie had a goal to push her artistic skills to the next level. To achieve this, she decided to travel to the United States in 2015. Already holding an Associate of Arts degree from Colombia, she was highly motivated to explore the world of theatrical arts in greater depth. This determination led her to Cleveland State University's Department of Theater, where she graduated, further solidifying her commitment to her craft.
Upon her arrival in the U.S., Nathalie discovered painting as a powerful medium through which she could explore her Colombian heritage and express her evolving identity within a new culture. Her artistic versatility has been highlighted through collaborations with notable entities like Samsung Mobile USA and significant projects such as a mural for The Cleveland PlayHouse Square and a large-scale painting for the New MetroHealth main campus. Yet, it is her acting roles with Teatro Publico De Cleveland and Latinus Theater Company that truly spotlight her exceptional ability to engage and move audiences, showcasing her profound storytelling and emotional depth.
Nathalie's work, deeply rooted in her Colombian origins and enriched by her experiences in the United States, seeks to forge cultural connections and spark creativity. Through her significant contributions to the visual and performing arts, she has emerged as a dynamic and inspiring figure dedicated to enhancing the cultural fabric and building bridges across communities.
explore the theme
NATHALIE BERMUDEZ
Whispers of Home
Whispers of Home
Nathalie Bermudez
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
That was true for me, and I was fortunate to have the fully papered and legal path of migration that I did. When I arrived, aged 20, it was like I had re-learn how to live. I didn’t speak or understand English, which meant that I lost my independence. I didn’t know how to use the money here and it took me a long time to learn English and get used to the rhythm of the city. Cleveland didn’t have a big latin community and so I always felt like an outsider. And even though you know you’ve done everything right, there is always the fear that a tiny mistake might make life worse for you. That is the reality of life as an immigrant.
But those sacrifices and insecurities also come with another truth: just as we are leaving somewhere, we are also going somewhere. The migrants in the scene are crossing a river, follow a path of flowers, heading towards a window in the sky. That widow speaks to the idea that as one door closes, a window opens. It is our hopes and ambitions, our portal to a new and better life.
And we don’t just demand it, we want to work for it and contribute to our new society. And I believe that we do.
That’s why you see
-
A man carrying flowers bringing so much beauty and color.
-
Another is carrying corn from Mexico, bringing cuisine and culture.
-
A coffee farmer, bringing the flavor and caffeine that shapes so much of our daily lives!
-
A sense of rhythm and music and dance that people have brought with them from wherever they have come in the world, that helps make our shared society so vibrant and joyful.
You also see butterflies – creatures of migration and transformation – that speak to how the journey of migration can transform the migrant, but also the societies to which they travel and contribute.
And all of this happens under a galaxy of stars in the sky, which for me represents the ancestors who are watching our journeys, guiding us, reassuring us that these journeys are part of an infinite history of movement and change.
From my initial cultural shock, I have become a fiercely independent person and I am determined to leave something of meaning in this world. It’s why I teach. It’s why I try and use art to connect people.
Whispers of Home is rooted in my experiences, but it is not limited by them. It is particular, but universal – after all, we have all migrated at some point on this earth. And perhaps that truth allows us to see the value of what we all can bring to this more perfect union.
NATHALIe’s “If I Could Tell You Just One Thing…”
Being kind is a superpower. Life can be tough and you never know what burden people are carrying. A simple act of kindness – the smallest thing, even a smile to a stranger – can transform a person’s day. And that kindness radiates. We need more kindness in our everyday lives and isn’t it wonderful that we each have the chance to do something kind, every day.
the artist's inspiration
At the heart of Whispers of Home is mother nature. The idea of mother nature to me says so much about humanity.
It is universal – we all share one earth and are interconnected by the fact we are all earth’s children. And it is mother nature – in what it gives and offers, as well as what it takes away – that has sparked the movement of people across the earth that has been one of the defining features of life on this planet. At one point or another, over short distances and long, we have all been immigrants.
And yet, at the same time as mother nature is universal, it is also particular. The environment we grow up in shapes who we are. It exerts a powerful gravity on our imagination, with its whispers of home.
In Whispers of Home, you see mother nature represented at the top of the mountain. Those mountains are my specific memory of home – the mountains that surround the city of Cali in western Colombia. The mountains are a reflection of the place you’re leaving – both the familiar pull of home and a reminder of the challenges in that place that led you to have to leave. My country of my birth inspires me in different ways. I moved to the United States when I was 20. We didn’t want to, but the context of our lives meant that we had to move to look for something better.
Something that is often forgotten is that moving – countries, cultures and communities – is a big deal and really hard. And so you see the migrants leaving the mountains carrying their houses on the top of their heads: you carry everything you have and everything you can, but actually you cannot come with all of it. There is always so much you have to leave behind and it is a real sacrifice.
That was true for me, and I was fortunate to have the fully papered and legal path of migration that I did. When I arrived, aged 20, it was like I had re-learn how to live. I didn’t speak or understand English, which meant that I lost my independence. I didn’t know how to use the money here and it took me a long time to learn English and get used to the rhythm of the city. Cleveland didn’t have a big latin community and so I always felt like an outsider. And even though you know you’ve done everything right, there is always the fear that a tiny mistake might make life worse for you. That is the reality of life as an immigrant.
CAPITOL PARK, detroit
june 2024
For everyone. For you. By all of us. Join us.
But those sacrifices and insecurities also come with another truth: just as we are leaving somewhere, we are also going somewhere. The migrants in the scene are crossing a river, follow a path of flowers, heading towards a window in the sky. That widow speaks to the idea that as one door closes, a window opens. It is our hopes and ambitions, our portal to a new and better life.
And we don’t just demand it, we want to work for it and contribute to our new society. And I believe that we do.
That’s why you see
-
A man carrying flowers bringing so much beauty and color.
-
Another is carrying corn from Mexico, bringing cuisine and culture.
-
A coffee farmer, bringing the flavor and caffeine that shapes so much of our daily lives!
-
A sense of rhythm and music and dance that people have brought with them from wherever they have come in the world, that helps make our shared society so vibrant and joyful.
You also see butterflies – creatures of migration and transformation – that speak to how the journey of migration can transform the migrant, but also the societies to which they travel and contribute.
And all of this happens under a galaxy of stars in the sky, which for me represents the ancestors who are watching our journeys, guiding us, reassuring us that these journeys are part of an infinite history of movement and change.
From my initial cultural shock, I have become a fiercely independent person and I am determined to leave something of meaning in this world. It’s why I teach. It’s why I try and use art to connect people.
Whispers of Home is rooted in my experiences, but it is not limited by them. It is particular, but universal – after all, we have all migrated at some point on this earth. And perhaps that truth allows us to see the value of what we all can bring to this more perfect union.
NATHALIe’s “If I Could Tell You Just One Thing…”
Being kind is a superpower. Life can be tough and you never know what burden people are carrying. A simple act of kindness – the smallest thing, even a smile to a stranger – can transform a person’s day. And that kindness radiates. We need more kindness in our everyday lives and isn’t it wonderful that we each have the chance to do something kind, every day.
For everyone. For you.
By all of us. Join us.
THEME
A MORE PERFECT UNION
The United States is a nation built on eternal ideals. A More Perfect Union highlights the many intersectional movements that stand alongside each other in the pursuit to realize these ideals of America for ALL.
explore the theme
PURPOSE
in our relationship with ourselves.
WORTHINESS
I am worthy of love dignity and respect.
AWARENESS
I know how I see the world and where it comes from.
BELIEF
I believe I have something valuable to offer.
PURPOSE
I know what inspires me and what I want to do.
THEME
A MORE PERFECT UNION
The United States is a nation built on eternal ideals. A More Perfect Union highlights the many intersectional movements that stand alongside each other in the pursuit to realize these ideals of America for ALL.
the artist's inspiration
At the heart of Whispers of Home is mother nature. The idea of mother nature to me says so much about humanity.
It is universal – we all share one earth and are interconnected by the fact we are all earth’s children. And it is mother nature – in what it gives and offers, as well as what it takes away – that has sparked the movement of people across the earth that has been one of the defining features of life on this planet. At one point or another, over short distances and long, we have all been immigrants.
And yet, at the same time as mother nature is universal, it is also particular. The environment we grow up in shapes who we are. It exerts a powerful gravity on our imagination, with its whispers of home.
In Whispers of Home, you see mother nature represented at the top of the mountain. Those mountains are my specific memory of home – the mountains that surround the city of Cali in western Colombia. The mountains are a reflection of the place you’re leaving – both the familiar pull of home and a reminder of the challenges in that place that led you to have to leave. My country of my birth inspires me in different ways. I moved to the United States when I was 20. We didn’t want to, but the context of our lives meant that we had to move to look for something better.
Something that is often forgotten is that moving – countries, cultures and communities – is a big deal and really hard. And so you see the migrants leaving the mountains carrying their houses on the top of their heads: you carry everything you have and everything you can, but actually you cannot come with all of it. There is always so much you have to leave behind and it is a real sacrifice.
Let's make our shared ideals a reality. For everyone.
NATHALIE BERMUDEZ
Nathalie's artistic journey is a captivating story of passion, perseverance, and cultural fusion. Originating from Colombia, where she received her early training at the Actors Studio Academy, Nathalie had a goal to push her artistic skills to the next level. To achieve this, she decided to travel to the United States in 2015. Already holding an Associate of Arts degree from Colombia, she was highly motivated to explore the world of theatrical arts in greater depth. This determination led her to Cleveland State University's Department of Theater, where she graduated, further solidifying her commitment to her craft.
Upon her arrival in the U.S., Nathalie discovered painting as a powerful medium through which she could explore her Colombian heritage and express her evolving identity within a new culture. Her artistic versatility has been highlighted through collaborations with notable entities like Samsung Mobile USA and significant projects such as a mural for The Cleveland PlayHouse Square and a large-scale painting for the New MetroHealth main campus. Yet, it is her acting roles with Teatro Publico De Cleveland and Latinus Theater Company that truly spotlight her exceptional ability to engage and move audiences, showcasing her profound storytelling and emotional depth.
Nathalie's work, deeply rooted in her Colombian origins and enriched by her experiences in the United States, seeks to forge cultural connections and spark creativity. Through her significant contributions to the visual and performing arts, she has emerged as a dynamic and inspiring figure dedicated to enhancing the cultural fabric and building bridges across communities.