Miembros Newsletter: September 2024

A Message from the Director

Fall Brings Exciting Exhibits and Events

Mexic-Arte Museum working with many artists and organizations will present exhibitions, a major festival and parade, workshops in the schools, artist residencies, family days, events and more throughout the fall! This year begins the 41st year of Mexic-Arte Museum creating and producing programs for the community. Since its inception in 1984, Mexic-Arte Museum has been a pioneer non-profit organization in the museum field as one of the few Mexican and Mexican American art museums in the U.S. The Museum contributes to cultural enrichment and works to improve the quality of life through innovative exhibitions and educational programming. With joy and commitment, Mexic‐Arte Museum is 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.

This September Mexic-Arte Museum will open the Día de los Muertos exhibition, Path to the Altar: Community Ofrendas curated by Luisa Fernanda Perez, Curator and Director of Programs that reflect on the practice of processions, central to the celebrations of Día de los Muertos as well as other traditions to honor and connect with those who have passed away. In October, the community will fill the streets in downtown with the Viva la Vida Fest. Mexic-Arte Museum’s 41st Annual Viva La Vida Festival and Parade is Austin’s largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event. Co-presented by the Austin Convention Center and the City of Austin, this year’s festival will take place on Saturday, October 26th at 4th Street and Congress Avenue. The festivities begin with a Grand Procession with a special section dedicated to Quetlzcoatl, believed to be one of the creators of the world. We invite everyone to come celebrate with us by wearing masks, assemblages, fans, and drums in this year’s Viva la Vida parade! Other exhibitions during the fall include La Huella Magistral: Homage to Master Printmakers at the Consulate General of Mexico in Austin which features works from printmakers that pay tribute to master printmakers who mentored, taught, or inspired them. The Republic Square Banner Project Exhibit will be featured at City Hall during Hispanic Heritage Month. Mexic-Arte Museum partnered with the Downtown Austin Alliance to design and create the Republic Square Heritage Banners through a City of Austin Heritage Preservation Grant. The banners detail the rich history and vibrant future of Republic Square and the 5th Street Mexican Heritage Corridor from prehistoric times to now. These banners and an accompanying coloring book designed by Claudia Aparicio Gamundi now hang proudly at Republic Square. It is great for the public to see and learn about the banners and the history of Austin and Republic Square during their visit to City Hall.

Education is central to the Museum’s mission through exhibitions and special programs. Over the years, Mexic-Arte has provided more than 200,000 underserved Austin youth with an art education through the Screen It! and mural program. Through the Latino Museum Internship Expansion Project, Mexic-Arte supports museum-based undergraduate internships designed to advance individuals’ careers in studying American Latinx life, art, history, and culture.

Mexic-Arte Museum will continue to develop, and garner support for the 5th Street Mexican American Heritage Corridor. The Corridor runs along 5th St. from Republic Square on the west to Plaza Saltillo on the east of IH35. This corridor brings awareness of past history and families who made Austin what it is today. Another goal of the Corridor is establish this area as a cultural district through the state to attract tourism and economic development, celebrate and recognize the distinct history, culture, and identity of the place. We will continue to develop programs along the 5th Corridor and Republic Square. We thank our Board of Directors, members, volunteers, the City of Austin and the community for your support all these years. We thank our great team at Mexic-Arte who produce professional museum programs. There is lot more to come! We hope you and your family join the Mexic-Arte Museum so that you can enjoy and are up to date on all the programs. Be a part of the fun and excitement this fall!

Executive Director

Sylvia Orozco

Upcoming Events

Welcoming Reception of the Tonkawa Tribe

Mexic-Arte Museum and Sugarloaf Pictures cordially invite you to a Welcoming Reception for the Tonkawa Tribe!

In conjunction with the City of Austin Proclamation Recognizing the Tonkawa’s
Past Friendship and Contributions to the Safety and Security of Austin in Its Earliest Days

The Following Tonkawa Tribal Members Have Confirmed Attendance:

Russell Martin, President and Chief
Racheal Starr , Secretary/Treasurer
Joshua Waffle, Tribal Executive Director
Miranda Myer, Director of Culture
Deaundra Chisholm, Tonkawa Princess

From Tonkawa, Oklahoma

Special Thanks to
Mayor Kirk Watson, City of Austin, Travis County Historical Commission, Save Palm School Coalition, Martha Cotera and Marisa and Bob O’Dell.

Limited space available, please RSVP here to reserve your spot!

Get Excited for Viva la Vida 2024!

Mexic-Arte Museum’s 41st Annual Viva La Vida Festival and Parade is Austin’s largest and longest-running Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) event. Co-presented by Mexic-Arte Museum, the Austin Convention Center Department, and the City of Austin, this year’s festival will take place on Saturday, October 26 at 4th Street and Congress Avenue. The festivities begin with a Grand Procession at noon. Festival activities run until 6 p.m. Participants can enjoy the Education Pavilion with hands-on art activities, traditional foods, local artists and artisan booths, a low-rider exhibition, and live performances throughout the day.

Join us in the Special Section of the Procession: Quetzalcoatl

Quetzalcoatl is the feathered serpent god that came into existence around the Olmec period (1400-400 BC) and is believed to be one of the creators of the world. On a lone journey to the underworld he collected the bones of the dead in order to give birth to humanity. Quetzalcoatl represents the connection and cycle of both life and death, endings and renewal. 

Viva la Vida is one of the oldest Día de los Muertos parades and festivals in the state and is the largest celebration of its kind in Austin, attended by over 20,000 people. Participate in this Special Section by wearing feathers, masks, assemblages, fans, and drums in this year’s Viva la Vida parade! Come together with your friends as a comparsa (a masked company of street dancers) or join on your own!

Find Out How to Participate Below!

Festival

• Music by Austin Lowriding
• Information Booth
• Aztec Dancers
• Ballet Folklorico
• Costume Contest

Sign up to Volunteer!

• Making Marigold Flower Crowns
• Making Monarch Butterfly Mask
• Decorating Paper Sugar Skulls
• Coloring Ofrendas
• Plus More!

Sign up to Join the Parade!

The Parade brings together a vibrant and varied mix of the traditional, contemporary, and Austin “weird”. The Procession – including costumes, props, live music, dancers, and floats – marches down historic 6th Street and culminates at E. 4th Street and Congress Avenue.

Sign up to be a Vendor!

Viva la Vida features over 20 Día de los Muertos inspired artists, artisans, vendors, and makers! Visit the Muertos Mercado for the perfect addition to your Día de los Muertos altar or the perfect gift for a friend.

Exhibitions

Mexic-Arte Announces Upcoming Exhibition – Path to the Altar: Community Ofrendas

Path to the Altar: Community Ofrendas
September 27th – January 5th

Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a holiday celebrated on November 1st and 2nd in which the memory of the dead is honored communally, weaving together mourning and remembrance with celebration. This holiday is a blend of traditional Catholic practices and customs of the Indigenous peoples of Mexico, Central and South America. These festivities are not only deeply ingrained in Latin American cultures but have become an important part of the multicultural tapestry of the United States, reflecting a growing recognition and appreciation of this Latin American heritage that brings people of different backgrounds together. 

During Día de los Muertos, communities move through city centers, gathering mementos including photographs, favorite foods, along with cempasúchil (marigolds) and other items that will be placed as ofrendas (offerings) on altares (altars) dedicated to passed loved ones. These spaces then become a place of gathering, transforming the act of mourning from an individual burden to a communal celebration of life. Furthermore, it is believed that through the altares, the deceased can travel from the spirit world to reunite with their loved ones. Based on Mesoamerican practices, the traditional procession is led by candlelight and includes periods of mourning and prayer. Since then, these processions have transformed into a vibrant parade full of music, dancing, and—most importantly—life. 

For this annual Día de los Muertos exhibition, Mexic-Arte has invited three Austin-based organizations, the Emma S. Barrientos Mexican American Cultural Center, La Peña, and MAS Cultura, to create altares inspired by artworks from the Museum’s permanent collection. Three community-based altares are also on display, with the Arriaga-Gonzales and the Chavez family presenting an altar as a tribute to their loved ones, while artist Emmily Arenas designed the other altar, drawing influence from the Mesoamerican deity Quetzalcóatl and Mexic-Arte’s 2024 Viva la Vida Fest. In addition, the Museum has commissioned three artists to conceive original artworks that offer a unique vision of this holiday. Inside the Museum’s space, one can observe Micayla Garza’s mural as well as Michael Menchaca’s video installation, while outside on the Mero Muro wall, one will find a mural created by Alán Serna. 

As you make your way through the space, be mindful of the path laid before you, and take a moment to reflect on the practice of processions that are central to the celebrations of Día de los Muertos. Consider how these traditions offer a profound way to honor and connect with those who have passed away while highlighting the contribution of community members and artists alike. With Path to the Altar, we are reminded of the complexity of this holiday, which embraces the duality of life and death, and has the power of bringing people together to celebrate the richness of our shared human experience, where all —the living and the dead—are welcome.

Join us for the Opening Reception of Path to the Altar: Community Ofrendas

Participate in this year’s Día de los Muertos Community Ofrenda

For 41 years, the Mexic-Arte Museum has celebrated Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) with Austin’s diverse communities. This year, the festivities hold a special place in our hearts as we share our space with other organizations, artists, and families who have come together to honor our dearly departed, celebrating their legacy. 

In Path to the Altar: Community Ofrendas, in addition to three altares by local organizations, and one that is family-centered, the Museum extends the invitation to our beloved communities to participate in a community altar. Mexic-Arte encourages you to contribute photos of your departed loved ones makes this group ofrenda a true celebration of their lives!

GUIDELINES: 

Each participant will be allotted a 12” x 12” space on our gallery wall. This space will include your framed photo as well as a small plaque/label (provided by the Museum) where you will include your loved one’s name and a personal message. We encourage participants to decorate or personalize their frames but frames should be no larger than 10” x 10” to ensure room for a plaque.

Use only copies of photos (no original) and objects that can be replaced. The museum is not responsible for lost or damaged items due to the nature of the submissions and quantity.

*Please be sure to sign up to participate in the community ofrenda/altar. Also, remember to download/fill out the form below and bring a printed copy with you, when you turn in your framed photo. You will need to fill out the plaque/label in person when you drop off your framed photo.

The public is invited to bring photos throughout the exhibit.

Mexic-Arte Exhibition at the Consulado General de México en Austin

The Mexic-Arte Museum has partnered with the Consulado General de México en Austin (Consulate General of Mexico in Austin) to bring the exhibit La Huella Magistral: Homage to Master Printmakers to the Consulate galleries. With this exhibit, the museum continues to expand transnational relationships and recognizes the important cultural and social legacy between the United States and Mexico through artistic exchanges, such as those highlighted by La Huella Magistral. 

In this exhibit we can observe artworks from great Mexican and Mexican American artists such as Ernesto De Soto, Sam Coronado, Richard Duardo, Arturo García Bustos, Leopoldo Méndez, Rupert García, René H. Arceo, Eliezer Berrios, Kay Brown, Pepe Coronado, Marcos Dimas, Paul del Bosque, Sandra C. Fernández, Juan R. Fuentes, Luanda Lozano and more. La Huella Magistral: Homage to Master Printmakers will be on view now until November 30th.

About La Huella Magistral: 

La Huella Magistral: Homage to Master Printmakers is a presentation of prints from the Consejo Gráfico’s third Portfolio Exchange and artworks from the Mexic-Arte Museum’s Permanent Collection. Founded in 2000, Consejo Gráfico is an independent group of printmaking workshops formed to advance the legacy and viability of Latinx printmaking in the United States.

La Huella Magistral: Homage to Master Printmakers features works from 19 printmakers, each contributing an individual print to the limited edition portfolio. Each artist pays tribute to a master printmaker who mentored, taught, or inspired them and contributed artwork in their mentor’s preferred medium or recognizable style. Printmakers explore ared social juice issues including the defense of people in situation of poverty or oppressed peoples, a commitment to public education, and solidarity with workers.

Mexic-Arte Museum expands on the themes explored in the portfolio by incorporating prints from the Museum’s Permanent Collection. Works from master printmakers Ernesto De Soto, Sam Coronado, Richard Duardo, Arturo García Bustos, Leopoldo Méndez, Rupert García, and Elena Huerta provide insight into the printmaking tradition while calling attention to the tradition’s far-reaching impact.

La Huella Magistral portfolio includes works by René H. Arceo, Eliezer Berrios, Kay Brown, Pepe Coronado, Marcos Dimas, Paul del Bosque, Sandra C. Fernández, Juan R. Fuentes, Luanda Lozano, Poli Marial, Jaime Montiel, Malaquias Montoya, Betty Perez Cole, Ramiro Rodríguez, Marianne Sadowi, Joseph Segura, Francesco Siqueiros, Ricardo Xavier Serment, Nitza Tufiño. Mexic-Arte Museum thanks the artist, of the Consejo Grafico for the generous donation of La Huella Portfolio and for continuing to work to make this world a better place.

Closing Reception of Creating Encuentros: Changarrito 2012-2024 and Membership Party

On Friday, August 23, Mexic-Arte hosted the closing reception and membership appreciation party! Guests enjoyed a vibrant DJ Set from DJ Positive, antojitos from Licha’s Cantina, paletas from Que Monita’s Ice Cream, and refreshments from Meanwhile Brewing and Surtierra Tequila. To share the essence of Changarrito culture, Mexic-Arte hosted a tianguis (market) during the reception with seven artists selling their artwork throughout the museum. Those artists include Faustinus Deraet, April Garcia, Ariana Gomez, Esteban Guerra, Julio C. Martinez, Fabiana Muñoz Olmo, and Angel Ortega.

Thank you to our wonderful members of Mexic-Arte and the community for your continued support of Mexic-Arte Museum. If you don’t want to miss out on events like this one, purchase your membership on the website today!

September 2024 Changarrito Artist Carolina Yáñez!

You’re invited to Mexic-Arte Museum’s Changarrito Instagram Live event on September 26th with artist Carolina Yáñez, taking place virtually through the Museum’s Instagram account @mexic_arte! Luisa F. 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. 

Carolina Yáñez will present her work on the Changarrito cart at Mexic-Arte Museum on September 14th, 15th, 28th & 29th from 12-3pm.

About the Artist

Carolina Yáñez is a Tejana multimedia artist from Austin, Texas. She is primarily working with photography to explore ideas regarding Tejano culture and politics, place, gender issues, mental illness and how they all intersect. Yáñez currently attends Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas pursuing an MFA in art.

Artist’s Statement

“I am a 21 year old Tejana multimedia artist from Austin, Texas and currently based in Dallas. I primarily work with photography to explore ideas regarding Tejano heritage, gender identity, and mental illness. Other themes my work surveys is feminine identity, standards of beauty, and political intersections of Tejano identity. I currently attend Southern Methodist University, and pursuing an MFA in studio art.

My work has been shown in the Blaffer Art Museum Student Association Biannual Art Show, Houston Center for Photography’s Contemporary Practice ’21, The Art of Awareness: A Community’s Self-Portrait of Immunization Health, Lawndale Art Center’s The Big Show, Alta Arts, Sawyer Yards, and Hardy and Nance Studios. I have been featured in VoyageAustin and Canvas Rebel magazines.

I capture portraits, architecture, landscapes and anything else that illustrates the beauty of the world. My work allows me to express my creative mind, explore the world around me and share the art of photography with others. My interests are often expressed though alternative process of photography such as cyanotypes and photograms, as well as fabric and textiles, often paired with storytelling and writings to discuss familial trauma and healing between generations. In addition to my current concepts, the idea of sustainability and accessibility are subjects I’m considering while producing my art. I practice sustainability by trying to minimize as much excess as possible and trying to take advantage of used or found materials instead of producing new ones. The idea of accessibility is also important to me because I believe art should be made accessible to everyone regardless of race, class, or physical ailments.”

August 2024 Changarrito Artist Ariana Gomez!

The Changarrito artist for August 2024, Ariana Gomez, presented their work on the Changarrito cart at Mexic-Arte Museum on August 17th, 18th, 24th & 25th. You can see their conversation with Mexic-Arte Curator Luisa F. Perez on Instagram here.

About the Artist

Originally from Austin, TX Ariana Gomez received her BFA from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 2010. She has spent the last twelve years in New York City working commercially as a digital tech on photoshoots as well as a studio manager for a still life photographer. Recently, Gomez returned home to pursue a graduate degree from The University of Texas at Austin in the Studio Art Program focusing on photography and just completed her first year.

Her current project is in-progress as she navigates the direction and feeling. Gomez is exploring the idea of home as a myth or idealization that exists solely in thought. The idea of home is a strong one, embedded in each of our psyches as something idealistic – a place we long for, or strive towards, or rally behind in our cultural, spiritual, or political identities. Often, it becomes our entire identity, taken over by our need to create a space that is all our own. So then, what happens to the self when the idea of home is connected to a sense of identity and inevitably the myth comes into question?

Gomez has been exploring aspects of her identity through photography for the last five years. It began with a project titled The Blue of Distance (an homage to Rebecca Solnit’s essay of the same name) in which she delved into the death of her father, a figure in her life she didn’t quite understand until after she lost him. She began to personify his identity through the Texas landscape, searching and dredging the hot earth for a glimpse of him. In this search, her own sense of identity came into question, and she started turning over the desert landscape for the smallest glimpse of herself. This project culminated in a single handmade artist’s book – a small memorial and reminder of her father, that desert mirage.

Gomez now explores the land, the earth, and her memories to understand where and what she considers to be home. It was only upon returning to the place of her birth, that she realized home is an idealization and amalgamation of every single memory and experience we choose to cling to. Home exists as a myth does; powerful, repeated, collective affirmation. Ariana Gomez’s photographs exist within this liminal realm. She questions the idea that home, as landscape, exists in reality. Rather, it exists in the space between reality and abstraction.

You can see artwork by Ariana 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 and Changarreando are dedicated to the presentation and promotion of contemporary Latinx and Latin American art.

Collections

Path to the Altar: Community Ofrendas Features Mary J. Andrade

Mary J. Andrade is a native of Ecuador. She established her residence in the United States in 1967. She received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Guayaquil, Ecuador, and specialized in photography in the United States.

Andrade began researching Día de los Muertos ceremonies in 1987 in Janitzio, Michoacán. Each year until 2016, Andrade gathered information and took photographs of customs from different states. Through observation and study, she learned the subtle differences in these traditions among the various states, and above all, she discovered a deep respect for these age-old practices.

Andrade has received multiple awards for her work, including photographs and several books, which include “Through the Eyes of the Soul, Day of the Dead in Mexico,” published in 2000, and “Day of the Dead, A Passion for Life,” published in 2007. In addition, Andrade acted as Cultural Advisor for the Disney Pixar 2017 Academy Award-winning film Coco.

Mary J. Andrade has generously donated several Day of the Dead photo series to Mexic-Arte Museum.

Come see Andrade’s work, along with other artists from the Austin community, in our upcoming exhibition, Path to the Altar: Community Ofrendas, from September 27th, 2024 – January 5th, 2025!

Una Tardeada – La Vida, Obra y Legado de José Francisco Treviño / An Afternoon on The Life, Work and Legacy of José Francisco Treviño

On August 11, artists, scholars and friends gathered for a presentation and panel discussion on the life and work of José Francisco Treviño. José Francisco Treviño (1941- 2022) was one of Austin’s most important artists and a contributor to the development of Chicano art. The presentation included a panel discussion with the following art historians and artists:

Santa Barraza, visual artist and scholar presented, The Western and Non-Western Ideology of Aesthetics in the Artwork of José Francisco Treviño. Santa introduced a few examples of artwork that demarcated Treviño’s navigation between two polarities of opposing worlds of aesthetics, the western canon and non-western. Through the development of a new combined visual art based on “mestizoism,” he produced his visual and philosophical understanding of his biological combined heritage, a Nepantla world.

Maria Herrera-Sobek, Professor Emerita, Chicano/a Studies Department, University of California, Santa Barbara, paper was titled, Afromestizo and Indigenous: Two Powerful Racial Cultural Imaginaries in Trevino’s Artistic Production.

Cary Rote – PhD in Art History; Professor, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi, focused on the Ancient Myths and Modern Meanings in the Work of José Francisco Treviño. This presentation discussed several images from the portfolio of Aztec Deities created by José Francisco Treviño. This portfolio is of particular interest due to the fact that Trevino developed the images beyond their usual stock representations to create a dialogue with the viewer about the actions of the Aztec deities. In this manner, he developed layers of understanding in the contemporary audience.

Luis Guerra, artist, gave a personal talk on El Gran Pintor that included observations about the man and the artist from our days in The University of Texas at Austin Art Building in the 60s, to their time as art instructors at Austin Community College in the 70s, and beyond.

Mary Jane Garza, artist and writer, spoke about the illustration in the Calendario 77.

Several of Treviño’s artwork were displayed, as well as a photo power point presentation showed many of his past work. Mexic-Arte Museum worked with Jose several times through his career.

In 1979, forty-five years ago, colleagues and visionaries, Santa Barraza, Modesta Treviño and Sylvia Orozco with José Treviño presented the first international Chicano Mexicano art conference – Plástica Chicana here in Austin, Texas at The University of Texas and at LUChA, the League of Chicano Artists Centro. José Treviño’s artwork, Los Quemados, was featured on the Conferencia’s promotional poster.

Uno de los Quemados is a self-portrait of José F. Treviño. In the colorful and dynamic painting Treviño wears patches that say “H.O. Guerrero Carpet Cleaners” and “Treviño”. Treviño stares at the viewer while being engulfed in flames. The title of the painting, “Uno de los Quemados” (one of the burned) refers to the art collective, “Los Quemados” that Treviño formed with other Mexican American artists that felt excluded from exhibition spaces. The patches on Treviño’s shirt, valorizes and highlights his experience as manual laborer and gives access to viewers that may have connections to work like this.

In 1999, twenty-five years ago, Mexic- Arte presented José Francisco Treviño – Raices Sin Fronteras – A Retrospective that featured forty years of the artist’s production. He was a very prolific artist. In 2022, Mexic-Arte Museum showed Los Quemados for the third time in the exhibition, Chicano/an Art, Movimiento y Más en Austen, Tejas 1960’s to 1980’s. This important work is now part of the Mexic-Arte Museum permanent collection for future generations to view
and study.

The panel discussion was followed by questions, comments and conversation. All enjoyed a beautiful reception and camaraderie with lifelong and new friends. Monica Bushong, art educator created a take home hand-outs based on José’s art for families to color and take home.

This program is sponsored by the City of Austin Economic Development Department Cultural Arts Division and made possible through the dedication of Treviño Family. The documentation of this program will be donated to the Austin History Center for study and research. This project made possible the gathering and production of archives that will be used for teaching and development of depository of Austin Latinx art that provides cultural art services for Austin & visitors.

Special Thanks to the José Francisco Treviño Family.