Both Sides of the Border: Latin American and Chicano Art

by Latinos Unidos Sunday, Nov. 20, 2005 at 11:39 AM

With the recent upsurge in popularity for Latino art, Carlotta's Passion Fine Arts intends to present a proper historical and aesthetic context for what is quickly becoming an internationally renown school of art. As an expression of a newly independent hemisphere, Latin American art has long delighted and inspired a world audience. Vibrant, compelling and rooted in the unique experience of the Americas, the genre provides a bridge for a new contemporary US art movement. Chicano Art is the visual language of the Mexican-American community in the US, and domestically it has already made an impact with its bold aesthetics - now it is poised to become popular with the worldwide community. To help broaden that recognition, Carlotta's Passion Fine Arts presents, Both Sides of the Border: Latin American and Chicano Art.

Both Sides of the Bo...
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Both Sides of the Border focuses on original and limited edition works of art by Latin American and Chicano artists. The Latin American artwork includes pieces by Raul Anguiano, Juan Sebastián Barbera, Elsa Chabaud, Vladimir Cora, Jose Luis Cuevas, Jean Charlot, Ever Fonseca, Jose Fors, Ana Marini Genzon, Wifredo Lam, Vanesa Martinelli, David Martinez, Eleazar Martinez, Jose Esteban Martinez, Roberto Matta, Lucia Maya, Carlos Merida, Gustavo Montoya, Salvadore Salaza, Jag Sanchez, Francisco Toledo, Victor Uhthoff,
and Francisco Zuniga.

The Chicano artists whose works are in the show include Ramon Atilano, Joe Bravo, Carlos Bueno, Yareli Cobian, Diane Gamboa, Margaret Garcia, Gronk, Sergio Hernandez, Leo Limon, Gilbert "Magu" Lujan, Manuel Martinez, Abe Mendoza, Xavier Montes, James Osorio, Felix Perez, Ramon Ramirez, Sergio Rebia, Frank Romero, The Royal Chicano Air Force, Hector Silva, Patssi Valdez, Mark Vallen, Israel Valenzuela, Benjamin Venegas,
and Antonio Ybanez.

Both Sides of the Border opens with an Artist's Reception on Saturday, November 19th., from 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. During the opening Martin Espino and Christopher Garcia of MEXIKA will perform indigenous music using traditional instruments.
The exhibition runs until December 30th., 2005.

During Both Sides of the Border, Carlotta's Passion will offer educational presentations and activities. As of press time, the following presentations are planned:

Friday, Dec. 16th., 8:00 to 9:00 pm: The influence of identity on Chicano art, by educator
Diane Velarde-Hernandez and artist Mark Vallen. Vallen's lecture will include an exciting slide presentation on the aesthetics of socially conscious art.

Sunday, Dec. 17th. 2:00 to 4:00 pm: The history, symbology, and current styles of Taxco and other high quality Mexican jewelry, by Mexican jewelry experts RuthAnne Tarletz de Molina and Eduardo Rocha Soto.

Meet the Artist Series

During Both Sides of the Border, Carlotta's Passion will offer a Meet the Artist series. Each friendly and informal gathering will give collectors an opportunity to get to know artists on a more intimate basis than allowable during a typical Artist's Reception. In the course of a Meet the Artist social event, an artist will walk collectors through works on display, going into detail about each piece, taking questions, and giving insight into the artist's background, motivations and influences. Refreshments and hor d'oeuvres will be available as additional works not on display will be offered by the artist for view and purchase. Meet the Artist dates currently confirmed:

Diane Gamboa - Sunday, November 20th, 4:00 pm.
Sergio Hernandez - Friday, November 25th, 8:00 pm.
Joe Bravo - Friday, December 2nd at 8 pm.
Ana Marini Genzon - Friday, December 9th, 8:00 pm.
Mark Vallen - Saturday, December 17th at 8 pm.
More dates to be posted soon

Poetry Reading: Luis J. Rodriguez
Saturday, December 3rd at 8 pm.

Luis J. Rodriguez will read from his latest poetry collection, My Nature is Hunger: New & Selected Poems. Luis J. Rodriguez is an award-winning writer of poetry, children's books, fiction, and nonfiction, best-known for the memoir, Always Running, La Vida Loca, Gang Days in LA. He is a cofounder of Tia Chucha's Cafe & Centro Cultural - a bookstore/cafe/art gallery/performance space/workshop center in the San Fernando Valley. He is also editor of Tia Chucha Press. You can discover more about Luis J. Rodriguez at his official website.

Mark Vallen's latest oil painting appears as the cover art for My Nature Is Hunger, and the artist will be on hand to talk about his work created especially for Luis J. Rodriguez. As part of the occasion, prints of Vallen's painting will also be made available to the public.

Carlotta's Passion Fine Art is located at: 2012 Colorado Blvd., Los Angeles,
California (Eagle Rock,) 90041. Click here for a MapQuest map. Regular business hours for the gallery are Tuesday through Sunday, from 12:00 pm - 9:00 pm. Phone: 323-259-1563.

For a full schedule of updated exhibit events, as well as previews of artworks, visit:
www.art-for-a-change.com/border.htm