Luis Fitch

---

2026

Created in response to Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis, this work reflects on the human consequences of fear, division, and displacement while affirming the resilience of communities confronted by adversity.

The composition is divided by a horizon line bearing the words, "They Tried to Bury Us. They Didn't Know We Were Seeds." Below the line, two skeletal figures rest within a dark landscape rendered in black, symbolizing oppression, loss, and the weight of systems that diminish human dignity. Above the horizon, a field of flowers rises against a bright yellow sky, representing hope, renewal, and the enduring capacity of people to grow despite hardship.

The title references a widely shared proverb embraced by social justice and human rights movements around the world as a symbol of resilience, resistance, and hope. Within the artwork, burial becomes a metaphor for transformation. What is pushed beneath the surface does not disappear; it takes root, emerges, and flourishes.

While inspired by specific events in Minnesota, the work speaks to broader questions of belonging, justice, memory, and our shared humanity. The flowers are not merely decorative elements; they serve as symbols of collective strength, remembrance, and the possibility of renewal after periods of darkness.

They Tried to Bury Us. They Didn't Know We Were Seeds. is both a memorial and a declaration. It acknowledges loss while insisting on hope. It reminds us that even in moments marked by fear and uncertainty, communities continue to endure, grow, and bloom.

2021

LUIS FITCH

ARTIST | DESIGNER | HUMAN

Jose Luis Fitch Jiménez is a Mexican-artist, designer, educator, and cultural changemaker based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. His interdisciplinary practice explores identity, migration, memory, social justice, and the evolving relationship between cultures. Working across public art, fine art, design, and community engagement, Fitch creates work that bridges personal narratives with broader social and cultural conversations.

Raised in Tijuana, Mexico, Fitch immigrated to the United States in 1985 and earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from ArtCenter College of Design in Pasadena, California. His experiences living between cultures have profoundly influenced both his artistic practice and his commitment to cross-cultural understanding.

Fitch's artwork has been exhibited nationally and internationally. It is included in more than 400 public and private collections throughout the United States and Latin America, including the Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in New York, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Minnesota Historical Society, and the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. 

His honors include the McKnight Visual Artist Fellowship, the Ohio Arts Council Design Fellowship, the AIGA Minnesota Fellowship, and the 2024 Distinguished Mexicans Award presented by the Government of Mexico. In 2023, he served as Chair of Minnesota's State Emblems Redesign Commission, leading the historic redesign of the state's official flag and seal. He is also the creator of four U.S. Postal Service Day of the Dead Forever stamps and co-founder and creative director of UNO Branding, a nationally recognized cross-cultural branding and design agency.

Through both art and design, Fitch seeks to create work that fosters dialogue, expands cultural understanding, and celebrates the resilience of communities navigating change.