Miembros Newsletter: February 2024

A Message from the Director

The Latino Museum Internship Expansion
Project Launched in 2024

“Latinos shaped this country and its culture even before there was a United States. Historically, however, museums have overlooked the Latino experience despite the fact that Latino history is American history; Latino art is part of the American canon, and Latino research scientists’ contributions are American achievements. If museums are to accurately recover the past, honestly engage with the present, and creatively imagine the future, they will need diverse, first voice practitioners to lead the way in empowering museums to better serve diverse and deserving communities.”
-Eduardo Diaz, Former Acting Deputy Director, National Museum of the American Latino, Smithsonian Institution

On January 26, 2024, Mexic-Arte Museum welcomed the first group of interns of the Latino Museum Internship Expansion Project. They smiled and radiated enthusiasm during the orientation in the main gallery, sending the message that they were ready to work, learn theory, and participate in the programming of one of the few Latinx museums in the U.S. We congratulate the new team members for being selected from over two hundred applicants. The interns (as pictured above) are Sebastian Barajas, Curatorial Intern, UT Austin – Art History major, Arts Management and Administration minor; Joey Holbert, Graphic Design Intern, UT Austin – Graphic Design; Aoife Hopkins, Development Intern, UT Austin – Public Relations major, Communicating Social Issues minor; Julio Martinez, Preparator Intern, UT Austin – BFA Studio Art & BS Arts and Entertainment Technologies; Monica Ruth Olivo, Collections Intern, UT Austin – Mexican American and Latina/o Studies; Museum Studies minor; Renata Salazar, Special Events & Marketing Intern, UT Austin – Advertising Major, Business Administration Minor; Zoraida Sanchez, Education Intern UT Austin – Youth and Community Studies major, Art History minor; and Joel Saucedo, Digital Media Intern, University of London (online) – Computer Science. We thank the interns for caring about culture, heritage, and art; for having the courage to experience the field of museums and non-profit organizations; and for wanting to make a difference and a contribution to the community.

Mexic-Arte Museum received one of twenty-two grants for this initiative from the Institute of Museum and Library Services over the three year period for the Latino Museum Internship Expansion Project. This grant will allow Mexic-Arte Museum to improve and formalize relationships and partnerships with Central Texas universities and colleges, as well as to contribute to the overall community and general civic well-being. The program will compensate interns from colleges and universities, as well as support Museum staff for mentoring program participants. For nearly twenty-five years, interns have been an integral and key component of the Museum, and Mexic-Arte is excited for this development in the program.

Mexic-Arte Museum has served as a pipeline for the professional development of emerging Latinx artists and arts administrators, as well as given a spotlight to established Latinx artists. It is the objective of the Museum to train the next generation of museum professionals by offering career opportunities that equip individuals with the necessary skills to thrive as members of the arts professional workforce, creating a new generation of Latinx leadership in Central Texas and beyond.

The Latino Museum Internship Expansion Project will provide hands-on training opportunities for undergraduate students. Students benefit from the mentorship of museum professionals and participate in the many roles that go into managing a museum and its exhibitions, including curation, education, development, design, marketing, and social and digital media. There are not a wealth of opportunities for Latinx, BIPOC, and/or economically disadvantaged college students to explore careers in art, history, and culture; this project meets that need.

The internship model is a carefully crafted learning experience in which mentors work closely with interns to develop goals throughout the semester. Mexic-Arte will pay the eight interns $20 an hour for the first year, 10 hours per week. Over the 10-week internship period, this will total $2,000 in earnings for each intern. Each year during three semesters, twenty-three interns will be trained. The project coordinator is Luisa Fernanda Perez, Education Curator.

The Mexic-Arte Museum aims to provide interns with the ability to participate in practical work experiences related to their course of study, acquiring valuable skills that they will be able to use in their careers. Even if interns do not end up pursuing a career in the arts, they will benefit from this experience. Internships create a better workforce, especially when they center diversity and create meaningful connections with the community. They provide real world experience and give students confidence when they graduate to apply at museums, cultural centers, art related organizations, and beyond.

Mexic-Arte has had many intern success stories; many students who began their career at the Museum have gone on to do great things. Amy Anderson held an Education internship at Mexic- Arte in 2021, and she currently works as Mexic-Arte’s Registrar Associate. Maia Castillo, another former intern, is the museum’s Digital Media Associate. Emily Guerra, currently the Senior Docent Coordinator at the Museum of Fine Arts Houston, began as an education intern in 2021, and she currently works as Mexic-Arte’s Registrar Associate.

Dr. Claudia Zapata now the first Associate Curator of Latino Art at the Blanton Museum of Art
writes,
“The Mexic-Arte Museum has been a foundational career-defining institution for me. Initially, I was a summer intern working with Executive Director Sylvia Orozco, organizing the permanent collection featuring world-renowned fine art print collections such as the Serie Print Project archive, the Taller Grafica Popular Print Collection, and the Ernesto F. de Soto Collection. Eventually, Orozco partnered with the University of Texas at Austin’s Art History department to create a research assistantship for me to assist in their exhibition Aztec and Maya Revival (2008). As a master’s student working on Maya art, my experience working with Mexic-Arte Museum allowed me to navigate the intricacies of explaining the ancient world to the general public. In 2010, I was the guest curator for their ELA (Emerging Latinx Artists) annual exhibition. Later that year, I was hired by the museum as the Education Program Manager and eventual Curator. These experiences were vital to my current role as the first Associate Curator of Latino Art at the Blanton Museum of Art.”

We look forward to getting to know all the interns and being energized by their creativity, new ideas, and enthusiasm.

We thank and recognize our professional museum staff who crafted this grant and who will mentor and guide the interns. We are grateful to the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the support to make the Latino Museum Internship Expansion Project a reality that will make an impact on the individuals, the Museum, and the community.

Mexic-Arte Museum Receives HABLA Award 2023!

Mexic-Arte Museum is honored to receive one of the ten Hispanic Advocates Business Leaders of Austin’s (HABLA) awards of 2023. Over 10 years ago HABLA initiated a new annual tradition by taking a look back at the previous year and ranking the Top 10 Latino Stories, Organizations, Businesses and People. HABLA recognizes awardees for involvement and work to impact the local Latino community. HABLA notes that “All together, we made a difference!”

Mexic-Arte Museum was recognized for creating a space by, for Mexican Americans and the community in central Texas, serving thousands of visitors. During 2023, Mexic-Arte formally embarked in the new design, programming, and planning for a new beautiful, modern $20+ million-dollar building. Mexic-Arte Museum at the current site thanks to Austin voters who approved bond funds in 2006 and 2018. Also in 2023, the City of Austin selected Mexic-Arte to serve as the partner on the development of the new Mexican American Heritage Corridor. Mexic‐Arte Museum remains dedicated to enriching the community through education programs, exhibitions, and the collection, preservation, and interpretation of Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and culture for visitors of all ages.

Thank you HABLA and Paul Saldana, founder of HABLA for this award. Mexic-Arte Museum is proud to serve the community in Central Texas.

Executive Director

Sylvia Orozco

Exhibitions

Mix ‘n’ Mash: Celebrating Austin Opens
February 2, 2024

You’re Invited! Opening Reception: Friday, February 2, 2024 from 6-9pm

Mix ‘n’ Mash is an annual group exhibition displaying artworks by more than 200 artists, created on high quality Gessobord panels generously donated by Ampersand Art Supply. Each limited-edition Mix ‘n’ Mash artwork is uniquely crafted for this exhibition, with all proceeds from board sales supporting the Museum’s programming.

This group exhibition explores and celebrates Austin, the political and historical center of Texas. People come from all over to settle down, participate in politics, relax in the hill country, dine on world-class cuisine, enjoy the live music, and much more.

This year, Mexic-Arte celebrates the large and small of what makes Austin weird, interesting, and timeless. Mix ‘n’ Mash: Celebrate Austin will be on display February 2 –March 17, 2024.

Come check out Hecho en Austin & I Love Austin Edition, designed by Sara Palma and screen-printed by Ramona Press. Get yours today for an amazing $35 per board!

January Changarrito Artist, Juan de Dios Mora

The Changarrito artist for January 2024, Juan de Dios Mora, presented his work on the Changarrito cart at Mexic-Arte Museum on January 27th and 28th. You can see his conversation with Mexic-Arte Curator Isabel Servantez on Instagram here.

About the Artist

“I have lived in a border town (Laredo, TX) where different cultures clash and yet expressions and emotions coalesce. However here in the US, its traditions, racism, and stereotypes have introduced me to the reality of being an immigrant in a different country.

Working representationally and sometimes with the surreal I portray images of the typical Mexican American’s life, iconography, and beliefs. My objective is to bring people together, with sentimental, satirical, sarcastic, and comical themes. I hope to evoke self-awareness and then to superimpose that awareness on the experiences of life.”

You can see more of Juan’s artwork here.

About Changarrito Program

Changarrito is an art vending cart conceptualized by artist Maximo Gonzalez as an alternative to the official gallery selection presented by the Mexican cultural authorities. True to the Mexic-Arte Museum’s mission, the Changarrito is dedicated to the presentation and promotion of contemporary Latinx and Latin American art. Artists sell their art on the Changarrito cart in front of the Museum (or an offsite location, as a representative for the Museum during various Austin festivals). It 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.

February 2024 Changarrito Artist
Hailey Marmolejo

Artist Statement

Hailey’s work is a testament to the spirit of the Tejana woman, and the beauty and strength of the landscape that she embodies. While the native flora, such as the agave and the nopal, are enchanting and elegant, they are also incredibly tough and resilient, able to survive in harsh environments. Similarly, Hailey’s art captures the duality of these plants through her use of bright and vibrant colors mixing with bold, contrasting lines, resulting in artworks that are both delicate and fierce. Through her work, Hailey showcases the complexities and contradictions of her own identity, and the South Texas landscape and culture that has shaped it.

About the Artist

Hailey Marmolejo was born and raised in San Antonio, Texas, where her passion for art began to flourish from an early age. Pursuing her creative ambitions, she decided to major in Fine Arts and minor in Spanish at St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, and worked as an intern at Mexic-Arte Museum and La Peña Gallery. Seeking new artistic perspectives, Hailey made a journey to study painting at the Universidad de Antonio de Nebrija in Madrid for one semester. Armed with her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, Hailey made her way to New York City, where she continued to paint and engage in street art. Meanwhile, she also worked at the Brooklyn Museum of Art, immersing herself further in the art world. In 2020 Hailey moved back to San Antonio and hasn’t put her brush down since. Through her dedication to the craft, Hailey has produced murals all over the city of San Antonio, and her artworks have been exhibited at various galleries, museums and businesses in NYC, Texas, and New Mexico.

Come see Hailey and support her when she is at the museum February 20th, 21st, 27th, and 28th. She will be interviewed by Isabel Servantez, the Curator of Exhibitions and Director of Programs on Instagram Live on Thursday, February 29th at 5:00pm.

Collections

Mix’n’Mash in the Mexic-Arte Museum Permanent Collection

In 2012, Delilah Montoya submitted her piece, Mi Amor Me Ha Dado Recuerdos Para Ti/My Love Has Given Me Memories of You. It was acquired by Dr. Cynthia E. Orozco, which she later gifted to the Mexic-Arte Museum. Born in Fort Worth and raised in Nebraska with deep roots in northern New Mexico, Montoya’s work explores the lived reality of the Mexican American community. Working in a variety of photographic and printing processes, as well as creating multimedia installations, she aims to generate conversations that are densely textured and provocatively layered with aesthetic, spiritual, and political meaning. She has been engaged with photography for over twenty-five years and visually explores cultural history, memory, and identity through an approach that is both documentary and narrative. Montoya is also a professor of photography at the School of Art at the University of Houston.  Mi Amor Me Ha Dado Recuerdos Para Ti (My Love Has Given Me Memories for You) was a precursor to an exhibition based on the artist book that is mounted on the gesso board. The artist states that it was “designed as a cathartic gesture to ease and bring closure to a personal relationship.”  She writes that “the book [and show] unravel a complicated and tragic death.  Presented as a compound narrative, the images, script, and keepsakes amassed during the relationship become a visual memoir.”

Come visit the Mexic-Arte Museum’s current exhibition, 2024 Mix’n’Mash: Celebrating Austin from February 2nd to March 17th, 2024 to view pieces from a variety of amazing artists, and get a chance to own a piece yourself! All proceeds from Mix ‘n’ Mash support the museum’s programming for children and adults.