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Homegoings
Homegoings cover art
Homegoings

Rigoberto Gonzalez and the politics of painting migration

By Myra Flynn
Published October 22, 2025 at 5:00 PM EDT

In 2019, artist Rigoberto Gonzalez painted a large-scale painting depicting immigrants crossing the border in south Texas. That painting grew popular. Won an award, traveled the world, even got to hang in the Smithsonian. Now, he couldn’t show his work there if he tried.

Homegoings is a show that invites you to eavesdrop on candid conversations with people who will challenge what you think you know, and YOU are welcome here. Follow the show here.

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“I was I was happy that the painting had made a statement and it had disturbed and created discomfort on the administration.” – Rigoberto Gonzalez
Kyle Ambusk
/
Vermont Public
“I was I was happy that the painting had made a statement and it had disturbed and created discomfort on the administration.” – Rigoberto Gonzalez

In 2019, artist Rigoberto Gonzalez painted a large-scale painting depicting immigrants crossing the border in south Texas. That painting grew popular, won an award, traveled the world, even got to hang in the Smithsonian. Now, he couldn’t show his work there if he tried.

Today, a conversation with artist Rigoberto Gonzalez, whose work was singled out by the White House as an example of artworks and exhibitions deemed “objectionable” or “divisive.” Rigoberto says: Nope. His paintings simply reflect the realities, and struggles, of migration.

Mike Dunn
/
Vermont Public
"I wear their disapproval as a badge of honor."
Rigoberto Gonzalez

Credits

This episode was hosted and reported by executive producer, Myra Flynn. Our video director is Mike Dunn and Aaron Edwards is our story editor. Myra composed the theme music with other music by Blue Dot Sessions. Kyle Ambusk is the graphic artist behind this episode’s Homegoings portrait.

Thank you for listening. You can see a video version of this episode on our YouTube Channel.

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Myra Flynn
Myra Flynn joined Vermont Public in March 2021 and is the Host and Executive Producer of Homegoings. Raised in Vermont, Myra Flynn is an accomplished musician who has come to know the lay of dirt-road land that much more intimately through touring both well-known and obscure stages all around the state and beyond. She also has experience as a teaching artist and wore many hats at the Burlington Free Press, including features reporter and correspondent, before her pursuits took her deep into the arts world. Prior to joining Vermont Public, Myra spent eight years in the Los Angeles music industry.
See stories by Myra Flynn