Art and Drama Department opening exhibit, “Now Let Us Shift,” on Sept. 29 with inspiration from life of Chicana activist Gloria E. Anzaldúa
Fall 2023 exhibit features collection of diverse work by 20 artists that parallel writings of the late activist and her life; panel discussion to precede opening reception the same evening
Article by Melinda Eddleman and DMC Art Program
A woman who writes has power, and a woman with power is feared. –– Gloria E. Anzaldúa
She grew up on the Texas-Mexico border and became a scholar of Chicana cultural theory, along with feminist, gay and lesbian theories. Her body of written work includes the semi-autobiographical book, Borderlands/La Frontera: The New Mestiza (1987), which explores the borders between countries, languages, genders, social classes and even those within one’s self and was voted one of the 100 Best Books of the 20th Century by both The Hungry Mind Review and Utne Reader.
Who is this individual?
She’s the late Gloria E. Anzaldúa (1942-2004), and on Friday, Sept. 29, the Del Mar College (DMC) Art and Drama Department will hold an opening reception for this fall’s art exhibit, “Now Let Us Shift,” a show that features a collection of 20 artists’ works inspired by the life of the Chicana activist. From stirring paintings of borderland landscapes to thought-provoking mixed-media installations, this one-of-a-kind exhibit includes diverse artwork in dialogue with Anzaldúa’s writings about the U.S.-Mexico border.
The reception is scheduled from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Joseph A. Cain Memorial Art Gallery located in the Fine Arts Center on Heritage Campus at Ayers St. and Baldwin Blvd. Get online directions and campus map. Join the department and artists for an evening filled with artistic revelry, delectable snacks, refreshing beverages and a cash bar––all serving as the perfect backdrop for fostering connections and furthering discussions inspired by the powerful works on display.
Prior to the opening reception that same evening, a panel discussion with four artists from the show is scheduled from 5 to 6 p.m. in the adjacent Bartlett Theatre. Join them for “Voices from the Borderlands: Art, Activism, and Identity” as these exceptional creators share their perspectives on art-making, Gloria Anzaldúa’s legacy and their own professional journey through the arts industry.
The panelists include:
• Gina Gwen Palacios, Assistant Professor and Associate Director of the School of Art and Design, at the University of Texas at Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV),
• Rigoberto A. González, Lecturer in Painting at UTRGV,
• Grace Zuniga, Director of the Houston Arts Alliance, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and
• Lauren Moya Ford, artist and art critic for the online arts magazine, Hyperallergic.
Either during the opening reception or throughout the more than two-month long exhibit, art aficionados can experience Anzaldúa’s reflections on gender, nature, spirituality and the family through the artistic perspectives of Franceska Alvarado, Millicent Alvarado, Julia Arredondo, Liene Bosquê, Alexandria Canchola, Maclovio Cantu IV, Josie del Castillo, Lisette Chavez, Lauren Moya Ford, Leticia Ernestina Gomez, Rigoberto A. González, Marcelina Gonzalez, Carlos Israel Villarreal, Ricardo Vicente Jose Ruiz, Omar González, Veronica Ortuño, Gina Gwen Palacios, Alexis M. Ramos, Mayra Zamora, and Grace Zuñiga. The show runs from September 29 to December 6.
“Now Let Us Shift” runs through Dec. 6 with Cain Gallery hours being Mondays through Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Fridays from 9 a.m. until noon. For more information about the opening reception, directions to the gallery or group tour arrangements or to make artwork sales inquiries, contact the Art Program at art@delmar.edu or 361-698-1216.
Interested in the Art Program at Del Mar College? Visit www.delmar.edu/degrees/art/index.html.
Note: Shown at the top of this release page is a cropped version of artist Marcelina Gonzalez’s piece “Sunny South Texas at Our Casita,” one of the works among the collection of 20 artists’ works in the Del Mar College Art and Drama Department’s fall 2023 exhibit, “Now Let Us Shift.” . (Credit: contributed)
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