Prints by artists from Oaxaca, Mexico
(Cincinnati, OH) Kennedy Heights Arts Center in partnership with SOS Art presents an exhibition of prints by artists from Oaxaca, Mexico entitled Voices from Oaxaca: Social and Cultural Expressions, opening September 30, 2017.
The public is invited to an opening reception and artist talk on Saturday, September 30 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm at Kennedy Heights Arts Center, 6546 Montgomery Road, and a free Hispanic Fiesta the following day on Sunday, October 1 from 2:00 – 8:00 pm.
Oaxaca is a state in southern Mexico known for its indigenous cultures, where a strong tradition of printmaking exists started by well-known artist Francisco Toledo. Toledo created a center for printmaking to preserve the indigenous culture of his state and keep it alive through the voice of its artists. Printmakers in Oaxaca use their art to reflect on their culture and on the social justice issues they face.
Voices from Oaxaca was organized by SOS Art and will be on display at Kennedy Heights Arts Center from September 30 through November 12, 2017. It will feature 90 prints by contemporary artists from Oaxaca, curated by Saad Ghosn of SOS Art. Dr. Ghosn traveled to Oaxaca on multiple occasions to meet directly with artists and selected many vivid and moving prints for the show.
“Sharing the art of Oaxaca printmakers with the Cincinnati community contributes to cultural exchange and illustrates the power of art as the voice of the artist for a universal better world,” remarks Ghosn.
A book documenting the exhibition, the featured artists and their work will be published and given free to visitors (while supplies last).
Exhibition and event sponsors are ArtsWave and The George and Margaret McLane Foundation.
The show’s timing, taking place in October, National Hispanic Heritage Month, is a great opportunity to highlight and celebrate Hispanic culture. In conjunction with the exhibit, the community is invited to a Fiesta featuring Hispanic music, dance, art, poetry, and food. The free event for all ages will take place on Sunday, October 1 from 2:00 to 8:00 pm at Kennedy Heights Arts Center, 6546 Montgomery Road. A full schedule of activities can be found at www.kennedyarts.org.
One of the exhibiting artists in Voices from Oaxaca, Baltazar Castellano Melo, an Afro-Mexicano print maker, painter and musician active in several Oaxacan artist collectives, will visit Cincinnati September 29 – October 7. Melo will give a talk at Kennedy Heights Arts Center about his work and the arts scene in Oaxaca and its connection to local culture and social issues at 6:30 pm on September 30, as part of the opening reception; and he will participate in gallery tours on October 1 at 2:00 and 4:30 pm as part of the Fiesta. Melo will also give talks and lead printmaking workshops at Xavier University, Miami University, and Tiger Lily Press during his one-week residency.
Voices from Oaxaca runs through November 12, 2017. Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday, 10 am to 5 pm and Saturday, 11 am to 4 pm. More information at www.kennedyarts.org.
About SOS Art:
The mission of SOS ART is to encourage, promote and provide opportunities for the arts as dynamic vehicles for peace and justice; encourage local artists to use their art as their voice on issues of peace and justice that concern them, their community, the world; facilitate the creation of a community of artists who network and collaborate together using art to impact issues of peace and justice in the community where they live; use the arts to speak about, inform, educate and create a dialogue on social issues and bring positive change; use the arts to introduce basic values of peace and justice in the youth.
SOS ART achieves its mission through organizing art exhibitions, workshops, publications, media presence, dynamic public engagement around issues of peace and justice; also through education programs linking the teaching and practice of art to the introduction of basic values in the youth.
About Kennedy Heights Arts Center:
Founded in 2004 by local residents, Kennedy Heights Arts Center is a non-profit community arts center with a mission is to enhance the life of the surrounding community through arts and cultural experiences that embrace diversity, foster creativity and build community. Serving more than 5,000 people annually, the Arts Center offers a gallery with rotating art exhibitions, arts education programs for youth and adults, and cultural events from festivals to poetry readings. Kennedy Heights Arts Center receives operating support from ArtsWave, Ohio Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts.
