Changarrito Residency: Magaly Cantú

Jun. 1

Jun. 1 @ 8:00 am Jun. 30 @ 5:00 pm

Mira Niña Relief, 2023
Letterpress on translucent flax paper
11″x9″
Let Me in Through the Bars, 2024
Collagraph
15″x11″
Cascaras y Reflexiones, 2024
Lithography, collage
14×11″

About the Artist

Magaly Cantú is an interdisciplinary artist based in Fort Worth, Texas. She works between traditional printmaking, drawing, and expanded ceramic processes. Through the translation of familial relationships, personal memories, photographs, and daydreams. Magaly dissects girlhood experiences as a Latina and the impacts of navigating between tradition and modernization. Magaly has shown work at Arts Fort Worth, Reisig and Taylor Contemporary, the University of West Virginia, and the K Space Contemporary. Her work has also been added to multiple collections such as the Marais Press print collection at The Hilliard Art Museum and Incisori Contemporanei, Villa Benzi Zecchini, in Caerano di San Marco, Italy. She is currently an M.F. A candidate specializing in printmaking at the University of North Texas.

Artist Statement

“Tracing through memories, the traditional growing pains of my girlhood were sprinkled with vague moral lessons in transforming into a “careful woman.” This careful woman is taught to care for those around her restlessly; she cares to be seen as pure, beautiful, and for her home. This careful woman only exists within this invented space, forcing her to fragment and dream of other worlds and absurd realities. In this surreal narrative, I often recall my mother’s expressions and colloquialisms prevalent in Norteño culture. These motherly saying and fragmented memories are translated through iterative printmaking, collage, and slip-casting processes. These processes carefully mediate the traumatic experiences they represent and imitate the effects of these traumas. Through symbolism and allegory, each piece quietly confronts the repetitive, deeply rooted, and openly hidden values upheld by tradition. Casually, these are passed down and carry along sexist traditions and derogatory language. This set of colloquialisms and illustrative representations of girlhood trauma in my work exemplifies an exchange of values and the divided relationship they create between immigrant mothers and their Americanized children.”

Changarrito Cart – June 14 & 15 and June 21 & 22 

Artists have the opportunity to sell their art on the Changarrito cart in front of the Museum (or an offsite location, as representative for the Museum during various Austin festivals). Changarreando expands the reach of the artist by presenting their gallery online, while allowing the option to sell merch over Instagram and receive 100% of the sale.

Magaly will be at the Mexic-Arte Museum featuring her artwork on the Changarrito cart right outside the Museum’s entrance on June 14 & 15 and June 21 & 22 from 12 – 3 PM.

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for updates on original work available for purchase and behind the scenes of the artist’s work, space, and creative process.

Changarrito Instagram Live Interview – June 26 at 5 PM

You’re invited to Mexic-Arte Museum’s Changarrito Instagram Live event with artist Magaly Cantú, taking place virtually through the Museum’s Instagram account @mexic_arte! Luisa Fernanda Perez, Mexic-Arte Museum’s Curator of Exhibitions and Director Of Programs, will facilitate the virtual event with a series of questions directed at the artist including a Q&A taking place during the last 20 minutes of the event.