by Isabella Silva-Biotti
Last Tuesday at the 3M Open in Blaine, Minnesota, art met athletics in a powerful tribute to persistence, identity, and community. A new piece by acclaimed Chicano artist Jimmy Longoria was revealed in honor of Venezuelan pro golfer Jhonattan Vegas, blending translucent 3M materials with a layered composition and neon lighting that captured both the movement of a golf swing and the essence of a man who has become a symbol of resilience.
“It took months to conceptualize,” Longoria shared, “but just seven intense days in the studio to bring it to life.” The result is a stunning multi-layered silhouette in motion. Vegas mid-swing, the club angled in quiet defiance, the composition humming with 5 layers of energy. “You can tell a lot that it’s me there,” Vegas said with admiration, visibly moved. “I haven’t really seen myself in art this way.”
The collaboration marks another milestone in Longoria’s expanding portfolio, which includes recent commissions with the Minnesota Twins and Timberwolves. His work centers Latino experiences and visibility in places where they are often underrepresented. This piece, in partnership with 3M, continues that legacy while planting it firmly on new terrain: the PGA Tour.
Vegas, a four-time PGA winner, is no stranger to obstacles. A seven-year battle with injury almost derailed his career, but his return to elite play has made him a beacon of perseverance. That spirit is what drew Longoria to his story. “He’s a comeback story,” said Longoria. “And when I see that, I don’t just see an athlete. I see the future of Latinos in America — global, determined, and skilled.”
It’s a future Longoria insists must be built with urgency. “Now is the time to be who you are,” he told a room of Latino leaders and professionals at the reveal event. “[We’re] the descendants of the original discoverers of the New World. We are unstoppable.”
That same unstoppable force brought Longoria from South Texas to the walls of state senator offices and Fortune 500 companies. His tools now include not only paint and brush, but also cutting-edge materials such as the 3M’s FASARA films, light-reactive substrates, and translucent layers that shimmer with meaning. The artistry is as technical as it is symbolic and Longoria has been experimenting with it for a while.
“It took months to prepare and seven days in the studio to complete,” Longoria said. “There are three layers in the middle, and about 50 hours went into the sketching alone.” Editions were signed by Vegas and Longoria to be gifted to internal 3M members, a nod to the company’s cultural investment.
Minnesota’s vibrant and growing Latino community stands to benefit from that global framing. Longoria sees potential in the state’s new generation of Latino professionals and creatives. “You have to act locally, but you have to start thinking on the global scale,” he said. And that includes challenging local nonprofit and corporate leaders in Minnesota to think beyond neighborhood boundaries.
The art, like Vegas’ game, is disciplined, bold, and built on persistence. A challenge to Latinos in Minnesota and beyond, it tells them to stop settling, stop shrinking, and stop playing it safe. As Longoria put it, “Abuelita would tell you: no te quiero ver aquí. Vete al mundo. (I don’t want to see you here. Go out to the world.)” This is not the time to retreat; it’s time to compete. Whether in art, sports, or business, the expectation is clear: show up, lead, and change the game.
