Trinity Review and Synthesis
The following exhibit will focus on the contributions of two Chicana/Latina alumni, Terry Ybanez and Nivia Gonzalez (1946-2014) and their contributions to two Trinity publications: the Trinity Review and Synthesis.
Trinity Review
The Trinity Review began in 1969 with the purpose of presenting information and reviews surrounding arts-related material such as drama, music, cinema, literature, or art. In the mid-1970s, the Trinity Review began to include student artwork in the margins of the reviews and by 1982, the Trinity Review had become a full fledged literary and arts magazine featuring essays, critical works, debates, poetry, prose, and art. At the helm of editor Sherri Hough, the Trinity Review began to accept written works and art from sources outside of Trinity University. Terry Ybañez—Chicana artist, educator, and community activist—worked for the Trinity Review as its arts editor.
Nivia Gonzalez (1946-2017) was an esteemed artist from San Antonio whose rich and colorful paintings of women surrounded by flora and fauna gained worldwide attention. She attended Trinity University from 1964 to 1967 and returned to complete her B.A. in Art from 1981 to 1983. Her paintings grace the covers of the Winter 1981 and the Spring 1982 issue of the Trinity Review. Terry Ybañez’s and Nivia Gonzalez’s artwork is featured in these editions of the Trinity Review and some of Gonzalez’s writing is included as well.
In April of 1982, the decision was made to put the Trinity Review under the jurisdiction of the English Department instead of the Trinity University Board of Publications. This change effectively took away student autonomy of the publication and resulted in the magazine focusing on featuring creative writing from Trinity students and faculty only. Student members of the Trinity Review were adamantly against this decision and their opinions—as well as those from the English Department faculty—are featured in the April 16, 1982 and April 23, 1982 issues of the Trinitonian.
Synthesis
Sherri Hough along with Terry Ybañez formulated the idea for Synthesis, an arts magazine sponsored by the Trinity University art department. By Spring of 1983 Ybañez had graduated Trinity and did not work on the first publication. The first Synthesis magazine was published in Spring of 1983 and Nivia Gonzalez served as an art publicity assistant and was in charge of the art show space design. Synthesis contained student artwork and writings from art professors such as Bill Bristow and Robert Tiemann. An art show sponsored by Synthesis accompanied the publication and opened on May 9, 1983.
The only recorded publication of Synthesis is in Spring of 1983 and there is no recorded evidence of the publication continuing in following semesters.