Mexic-Arte Museum shines at Exhibition in National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago
Mexic-Arte Museum Artistic Director was honored with an invitation to the 25th Annual Day of the Dead Exhibition at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. Ms. Orozco was invited along with her sister, and the duo created an “Ofrenda” in honor of their mother, community leader Aurora Orozco. The piece consisted of a diaphanous surface on which an image of Aurora alternated with verse from a poem composed by daughter Irma Orozco. Sylvia and sister Dr. Cynthia Orozco were both in attendance for the Exhibition’s opening on Friday, September 9th.
The exhibition in Chicago also featured a very special piece from the Mexic-Arte Museum Permanent Collection, titled “Voces de las Perdidas” by Texas-based artist Adriana Corral. The piece was especially created for the back gallery of the Mexic-Arte Museum, and is a clay installation of over 800 tile pieces to represent the Femicides in Mexico. The artist collaborated with local Talavera importer Clay Imports Artesanal who commissioned authentic Talavera tile artisans in Dolores Hidalgo to make the hundreds of hanging tile pieces by hand.
The Altar for Aurora Orozco
Left, Voces de Las Perdidas Installation at the National Mexican Museum in Chicago
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Sugar Skulls at National Mexican Museum
Austin City Council Approves Resolution Supporting Mexican American Heritage in Downtown Austin
On Thursday, August 25th at 10:30 a.m. the Austin City Council approved a Resolution supporting the 5th Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor. The Corridor, which has identified historically significant Mexican American sites along 5th Street, runs from Plaza Saltillo on the east side of I-35, all the way to Republic Square, west of Guadalupe Street, and is an initiative that owes much of its success to Mexic-Arte Museum Founder and Artistic Director Sylvia Orozco. The Corridor acknowledges the long history of the Mexican American community in the City of Austin, in particular to the Downtown.
This historic resolution was sponsored by Council Member Mike Martinez and Co-Sponsored by Mayor Lee Leffingwell and Council Member Chris Riley. Sylvia Orozco says of the approval “this is a great achievement for our community and for Mexic-Arte Museum, but it is chiefly a great win for the all citizens of this wonderful city. There are many potential benefits that may result from this resolution, the improvement of 5th St., the creation of the corridor, and perhaps even the incorporation of public art.” She also took a moment to thank everyone who has been a part of this process, making this vision a reality for all Austinites to enjoy.
The Agenda for the day also listed the adoption of the Downtown Austin Plan by City Council, which includes a list of staff-recommended amendments regarding the 5th Street Mexican-American Heritage Corridor, which will “Explore the creation of a 5th Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor linking Republic Square to Saltillo Plaza”
“The area around what is now called Republic Square was, in the early 20th century, a hub of the Mexican American community in Austin. Located within this area were the Walker Chili Company, Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe Catholic Church, and numerous other Mexican American businesses and residences. Nicknames for what is now called Republic Square included “Chili Park” and “Mexican Park. The 1920s witnessed the migration (instigated by the 1928 City Plan) most of those businesses, residences, and institutions to East Austin, where Saltillo Plaza is located. The idea of creating a cultural/historical corridor along 5th Street – linking these two public squares – has been suggested as far back as the 1999 “Republic Square Task Force Final Recommendations.”
Congratulations to all for this great achievement!