The exhibition ‘Life & Death on the Border 1910-1920’ will be on view until February 2025.
Remembering our historical past, both the good and bad, is essential for staying connected to our roots and understanding how we arrived at the present. Acknowledging past triumphs can inspire pride and unity, while reflecting on mistakes offers valuable lessons in avoiding repetition of errors. By examining history, we gain perspective on social, political, and cultural progress, helping us navigate contemporary challenges with wisdom. Moreover, remembering history fosters empathy, respect, and a deeper sense of identity, ensuring we honor those who came before and build a more informed, inclusive future. History guides us in shaping a better tomorrow.
Earlier this month, I attended the opening reception for the traveling exhibition Life & Death on the Border 1910-1920 at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum.
Speakers included Aleida Garcia, San Benito Cultural Arts Department Director, Ricardo Madrigal, and Rudy Garcia, local writer and poet who shared the story of the Jacinto Treviño. Jacinto Treviño is the subject of a well-known Border corrido, or ballad, in which the hero successfully escapes after a run-in with the Texas Rangers.
The exhibition itself is filled with local history and interesting historical facts including Border Renaissance-Literature, Prejudice and Racial Strife, and the history behind the formation of the League of United Latin American Citizens. One of the highlights is the tribute to the annual Día de los Muertos Caminata, which includes original artwork and an altar that features the names of known victims of border violence during those years, especially those who were denied due process and indiscriminately killed.
Overall, it’s an excellent reminder of the early history of the Rio Grande Valley. It is worth checking out, especially for those who are native to the area; you might just learn something new.
More information:
Life & Death on the Border 1910–1920 is a traveling exhibition created by the Refusing to Forget Project in partnership with the Bullock Museum. This powerful exhibition explores a turbulent period in Texas history, shedding light on the violence, resistance, and resilience that shaped the U.S.-Mexico borderlands during the early 20th century. (San Benito Cultural Arts Department, 2024)
Through a compelling collection of panels, on loan from The Mexican American Museum of Texas, depicting historical artifacts, photographs, and narratives, visitors will gain insight into the societal struggles and cultural transformations that defined this era. The exhibition serves as a platform for reflection and dialogue, honoring the voices and stories of communities profoundly impacted by these events.
As part of the exhibition, the San Benito Cultural Center is thrilled to acknowledge and pay tribute to the annual Dia de los Muertos Caminata, organized by Mr. Ricardo Madrigal. Now in its fifth year, the caminata is a 3-mile trek from San Benito’s Heavin Park to the State Historical Marker placed at the Southbound Exit 16 rest area memorializing the lives lost during this turbulent time in our history. Original artwork for four of the five years will be on display and paired with an altar in remembrance.
The exhibition is on view at the San Benito Cultural Center, located at 225 E. Stenger Street, San Benito, TX 78586, and will run through February 8, 2025. Admission for this exhibition is part of the general admission for the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum, and the public is invited to explore this important chapter in border history.
San Benito Cultural Center 225 E Stenger St San Benito, TX 78586
Map of the US/Mexico BorderTribute to the Dia De Los Muertos CaminataInformation is presented in posters by decade. The victims of the times. Life & Death on the Border
The last PechaKucha of 2024 will take place at the historic Scottish Rite. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
SAN ANTONIO, TX – PechaKucha San Antonio – the global arts and culture series that hosts speakers who share their passions in a unique format – is excited to announce its Volume 45 as the final event in the 2024 series. The event is scheduled for Thursday, December 12, 2024, at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in downtown San Antonio (308 Ave E, San Antonio, TX 78205). The night begins with a welcome reception at 6:30p.m., followed by presentations starting at 7:30 p.m. (PechaKucha San Antonio, 2024)
The historic Scottish Rite building was completed in 1924 and serves as the headquarters and meeting place for the Scottish Rite Masonry in San Antonio and for the South Texas region, as well as frequently used for performing arts and other cultural events.
Volume 45 will feature a talented group of local speakers. The seven presenters include:
The evening’s emcee will be poet and author Jenny Browne – she has served as the Poet Laureate of both the City of San Antonio and State of Texas, and is a Professor of English and Creative Writing at Trinity University. The welcome reception will feature live music by musicians from the San Antonio Philharmonic. The San Antonio Philharmonic musicians are not only professionals, they are friends and neighbors, working to cultivate the vibrant arts culture that represents the community we all love.
The welcome reception will also include complimentary bites by San Antonio chefs and restaurants including in-kind sponsors Tandem, Naco Mexican Grayson, Beacon Hill Deli, and Olla Express. Additionally the event will feature cocktails available for purchase curated by local bar Amor Eterno.
Tickets are $10 per person and can be purchased online.
A note on venue accessibility: The historic Scottish Rite has stairs leading up to the event space; for an accessibility option from the street level, there will be a livestream watch room available on the ground floor ballroom.
Pronounced “PEH-chuh KOO-chuh,” PechaKucha is a 20 image x 20 second arts and cultures series. We host speakers who share their passions in a unique format: Each presenter gets exactly 20 images, and each slide advances automatically every 20 seconds (for a total time of 6:40).
San Antonio’s first quarterly PechaKucha Night was held in February 2011 and now attracts hundreds of attendees to venues throughout San Antonio. It showcases a broad range of individuals, including architects, artists, makers, academics, community leaders and more. PechaKucha (Japanese for “chit chat”) is an event format developed by Tokyo’s Klein Dytham Architecture to encourage creative professionals to share projects and ideas that they are passionate about. Since it began in 2003, PechaKucha has expanded to more than 1200 cities around the world.
Previous PechaKucha event. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Art museums are vital for preserving and showcasing creative expressions that reflect human experience, history, and culture. They offer a space where visitors can experience the transformative power of art, sparking imagination, emotion, and intellectual curiosity. People are drawn to art museums for their ability to inspire, provoke thought, and connect individuals across time and place. Viewing masterpieces or contemporary works allows people to engage with different perspectives and cultivate a deeper appreciation for creativity. Art museums also provide a sense of tranquility and reflection, offering visitors a break from the fast pace of daily life while fostering cultural enrichment and understanding.
Recently I visited the Brownsville Museum of Fine Art to check out their latest exhibitions. They change frequently, so each visit is an opportunity to discover a new artist. Right now there are four exhibitions on view, each as unique as the experiences of the artist and all of them are a joy to experience.
I enjoyed Guillermo Vasquez’ The Journey, The Path, And The Quest because the paintings are larger than life and the colors are so vibrant. A big plus is that it’s an outdoor exhibit, so that if you’re in the area, you can enjoy it without going inside the museum. I also like José Antonio Chaurand’s Idiosyncrasy of Luck because of the overall theme of ‘luck.’ Is what happens to us a matter of luck, or circumstances?
If you love art, do yourself a favor and plan your next museum adventure at the BMFA. There’s still time to check them out since they’re on view until December 11. Museum hours and ticket information is available online.
Current exhibitions are as follows: (Brownsville Museum of Fine Art, 2024)
The Journey, The Path, And The Quest Guillermo Vasquez Exhibition Dates: November 8 – December 11
Originally from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, Vasquez graduated with a degree in Industrial Engineering from the Technological Institute of Matamoros. A self-taught painter, he began his artistic journey a decade ago, focusing on acrylic painting techniques. His skills were further refined through classes at BMFA with mentors Diana and Nerea Anzaldúa, who were instrumental in his development. As a committed member of the BMFA, he aims to create art that invites contemplation and intellectual engagement.
This exhibition offers viewers a journey through humanity’s evolution, from the origins of the universe to a utopian vision of society. Through large-scale acrylic paintings on treated wood, Guillermo Vasquez explores key moments such as the Big Bang, the rise of philosophy, the influence of religion, and societal transformations throughout history, including the Renaissance and the Enlightenment. By displaying the pieces in the BMFA garden, Vasquez seeks to create an engaging, accessible environment where the public can interact with art and reflect on our shared human experience.
Frutos Del Tiempo Alonsa Guevara Exhibition Dates: November 2 – December 11
Alonsa Guevara (b. 1986, Rancagua, Chile) is a visual artist based in Los Angeles, California. Guevara holds an MFA in painting from the New York Academy of Art (2014), and a BFA from the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile (2009). Guevara works primarily with painting, and her multidisciplinary practice extends to sculptures, installations, sound pieces, and video performance. Her works blur the lines between fantasy and reality while celebrating the connection between humankind and nature. As a Latin-American woman whose life has unfolded across three distinct countries—Chile, Ecuador, and the USA—Guevara’s art serves as an exploration of questions surrounding identity, belonging, and womanhood, offering her personal understanding and appreciation of beauty.
“Frutos del Tiempo” presents a variety of artworks by Chilean-American artist Alonsa Guevara, exploring the artistic and spiritual “fruits” that have emerged from her journey over the years. Featuring paintings and sculptures made from 2018 to the present, this exhibition invites viewers into a celebration of the beauty and complexity of the natural world, examining the deep connections between nature, humanity, and spirituality. As a Latin-American woman whose life has unfolded across Chile, Ecuador, and the USA, Guevara uses her art to explore identity, belonging, and womanhood. Her works offer a personal understanding of beauty, blending reality with fantasy to create an immersive, multi-sensory experience. With a ceremonial and ritualistic ambiance, her pieces pay homage to fertility, spirituality, and life cycles, commemorating the enduring connection between humankind and nature—one that has evolved and adapted through time.
Idiosyncrasy of Luck José Antonio Chaurand Exhibition Dates: November 2 – December 11
José Antonio Chaurand (b. Mexico, 1974) also known as JACH, is a visual artist, publisher, and economist. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in economics (1998) and continued his education in art history, journalism, graphic design, drawing, and cultural management as self-taught while running La Tempestad, considered by experts the fundamental magazine and media outlet of international art in México. (1998-2017)
The idea that the individual can forge his/her own destiny has become predominant around the world. This notion began during the Industrial Revolution, but became popular after the end of World War II propelled mainly by American mass media, and continued growing throughout the twentieth century. During the new millennia, Social media has become the receptacle for ‘‘prophets of human autonomy,” people attempting to profit by convincing others that success, happiness, and abundance are a decision and not a circumstance. The message has now become embedded in mostly all of our contemporary narratives, even reaching the spheres of health and longevity. This project aims to de-dogmatize this notion, manifesting that luck is a variable that must be included in every equation of the human endeavor; once randomness is acknowledged it is easy to see the myth of autonomy. The way luck works can be seen at plain sight, its idiosyncrasy has been revealed, yet we have chosen not to see it.
Iman, Al Safa WAl Marwa: Faith in the Pilgrimage Ibtisam Tasnim Zaman Exhibition Dates: November 2 – December 11
Ibtisam Tasnim Zaman is a New York based Black Lesbian American, interdisciplinary, and conceptual artist. Originally from Tulsa, Oklahoma, Ibtisam moved at six years old to the UAE. This forced migration was shortly after 9/11, to escape the violence that Black Muslims, Muslims of color, and all immigrants are still facing today.
Ibtisam Tasnim Zaman’s solo exhibition, ‘Iman, Al Safa WAl Marwa: Faith in the Pilgrimage,’ is a feature of works that use figurative surrealism to narrate the layers of systemic structures. A constant state of revealing ‘manufactured nature’ through everyday life: in the mundane, journey to work, and overall culture of normalization. Zaman contrasts these dense realities, through depicting acts of intimacy, tenderness, paradox of motherhood, and love as acts of resistance in the midst of chaos.
Brownsville Museum of Fine Art 660 E Ringgold St Brownsville, TX 78520
Briscoe Western Art Museum celebrates Native American heritage at annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
San Antonio, TX – The Briscoe Western Art Museum invites the community to celebrate Native American culture with its annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival on Saturday, November 9, from 10a.m. to 4p.m. This free, family-friendly event honors the rich cultural traditions and artistic expressions of Native American communities, showcasing art, music, dance, storytelling and more. Taking place along the scenic River Walk, the festival provides the perfect setting for families to come together and enjoy a day of learning, creativity and celebration. Free event registration is available online. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2024)
A vibrant display of Native American heritage that brings together diverse tribes and artists from across the region, the free community festival features storytelling, artist demonstrations, pottery and carving throughout the Briscoe’s campus, as well as Native American-inspired food. The celebration includes free admission to the Briscoe, making it a perfect way to celebrate the important role Native Americans played in shaping the West while enjoying art and artifacts that highlight Native American history.
“Native Americans have played a profound role in shaping the history, culture and spirit of the American West. Their deep connection to the land, their traditions and their art have left an indelible mark on the region’s story. At the Briscoe, we honor these contributions by celebrating and preserving that heritage through exhibitions and events. It’s essential that we recognize and honor Native American communities today, not just for their historical significance, but for their ongoing influence on the culture and identity of the West.” – Liz Jackson, President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum
Held annually since the museum opened, the festival is named in honor of the Payaya people who were indigenous to the San Antonio area, “Yanaguana” was the word they used to describe what is now known as the San Antonio River.
Experience Native American Culture Through Art, Music and Dance
The Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival offers a unique opportunity to experience Native American culture firsthand. Admission and all crafts and activities included in the festival are free.
Throughout the day, attendees can enjoy:
Live Performances: Traditional Native American dancers, musicians and drummers and will share their cultural heritage through mesmerizing performances. From powerful drum circles to the soulful beauty of the Native American flute, these performances are sure to captivate audiences of all ages.
Storytelling Sessions: Engaging storytellers will share traditional Native American tales, offering insight into the values, beliefs and history of Native communities.
Hands-on Activities: Families can participate in hands-on art and craft workshops, allowing children and adults alike to create their own artwork inspired by Native American traditions.
Artisan Market: Browse a curated selection of Native American artwork and talk with the artists as they demonstrated their crafts, including jewelry, pottery, beadwork and textiles.
The festival’s focus on art and culture aligns perfectly with the Briscoe’s fall exhibition, Storytellers: Narrative Art and the West. This special exhibition explores how Native American and Western artists use narrative art to convey history, culture and identity. It features works that tell powerful stories of the American Southwest, blending traditional Native American art forms with contemporary perspectives.
The 2024 event features:
A spiritual blessing by United San Antonio Pow Wow, Inc., a group that works to provide Native American people the opportunity to participate, practice, teach and exchange tribal traditions among all tribes and to enlighten everyone about the history and culture of America’s first inhabitants.
A Pow Wow-style drum circle with United San Antonio Pow Wow and Enemy Horse Drumming demonstrating and explaining common pow wow dance styles.
Live music by Native American artists, including Tim Blueflint Ramel. An enrolled member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, a federally recognized American Indian Tribe, flute player Blueflint Ramel has opened for and shared the stage with Grammy Award Winner Mary Youngblood and a wide variety of artists. He is also an accomplished flute and jewelry maker and will demonstrate his craft throughout the day.
Chikashsha Hithla dance troupe demonstrating traditional Chickasaw dance. Comprised of native people from Southeastern American Indian tribes, members of the troupe are Chickasaw, Choctaw, Seminole and Creek, who are dedicated to preserving their culture and educating the public through songs, storytelling and Stomp dancing.
Stories from Amy Bluemel, a Chickasaw storyteller and the great-granddaughter of Eastman Kaney, an original Dawes Commission enrollee. Bluemel shares Chickasaw customs and those of other southeastern tribes through elaborate storytelling.
Native American art demonstrations, including ledger art with artist George Curtis Levi, showcasing how ledger art captures a moment in time. A type of art that originated amongst the Cheyenne in the late 1840s, ledger art utilized pages of repurposed record books to depict everyday life. A member of the Southern Cheyenne tribe in Oklahoma, Levi also has ties to the Arapaho and Oglala Lakota communities.
Kachina carving with Kevin Horace Quannie, a Hopi/Navajo contemporary artist. Living on the Hopi reservation, Quannie specializes in carving contemporary kachina dolls using cottonwood roots.
See traditional pottery techniques of the Caddo Nation with Chase Kahwinhut Earles, a renowned Caddo pottery maker who has dedicated his craft to reviving and preserving the traditional pottery techniques of his Caddo Nation ancestors. Earles’ creates intricate, historically accurate pottery that reflects the deep cultural heritage of the Caddo people, whose pottery tradition dates back centuries. His works are celebrated for their authenticity, craftsmanship, and connection to Caddo history and spirituality.
Shane Hendren, a turquoise expert and a Diné/Navajo jewelry maker who is a member of the Indian Arts & Craft Association (IACA), an organization committed to promoting the integrity of materials used in native jewelry. Hendren returns to share his expertise of the turquoise gemstone.
Crafts and fun for all ages including making your own mosaic, leather medallions, basket and loom weaving, ledger art, a community weaving basket and creating your own parfleche case, a pouch typically made with rawhide that is painted with images or geometric designs. Plains Indians created the parfleche because of its utility, beauty and convenience. Other tribes in North America then adopted its use.
Festival visitors also enjoy free admission to the museum and its permanent collection of Western art and artifacts, including exhibitions that highlight the stories of the American Indian, cowboys, pioneering women and others that define the West.
The nationally distributed collection features coloring books, puzzles, and drawing lessons. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.
San Antonio –– Whataburger® lovers can now display their passion for the iconic brand on their bookshelves with the release of the fast food chain’s first-ever nationally distributed book and puzzle collection. The books launch on October 22 and the puzzle drops on November 12. Both will be available for purchase wherever books are sold and online. (Whataburger, 2024)
This one-of-a-kind collection offers Fans of all ages the opportunity to savor Whataburger’s charm long after their meal.
“Whatababy”: A first-word board book designed for the smallest fries in the family.
“How to Draw Everything Whataburger”: Budding artists can follow 40-plus drawing lessons designed by Texas-based artist Alli Koch of Alli K Design, bringing Whataburger’s iconic imagery to life.
“WhataWorld”: A coloring book where nostalgia meets futurism, perfect for adults looking to unwind. Koch also designed this dazzling book.
“Whataburger Fancy Ketchup Puzzle”: A San Antonio-inspired puzzle creatively packaged in an oversized version of the brand’s famous ketchup container.
This unique collection celebrates Whataburger’s long-standing tradition of inspiring creativity, as seen in the Whataburger Museum of Art (WMOA). It extends that love to superfans who can now sketch, color and puzzle their way through their favorite burger chain’s culture.
With Penguin Random House’s industry-leading distribution and Blue Star Press’ innovative publishing approach, Whataburger’s first book and puzzle collection should be a holiday hit and a permanent fixture in homes coast to coast.
Whataburger serves up Goodness 24/7. Our original recipes are made to order, just like you like it, and we pride ourselves on extraordinary hospitality and meaningful connections in our communities. That’s what’s led fans to Whataburger since Harmon Dobson served our first customer in 1950. Headquartered in San Antonio, we’ve stayed close to our roots while building systemwide revenue of more than $4 billion annually across our 16-state footprint and over 1,050 restaurants. Shop Whataburger-branded merchandise and selected sauces, including our famous Fancy and Spicy Ketchup, online. Find Whataburger original-recipe products in grocery stores.
Blue Star Press is an award-winning independent publisher based in Bend, Oregon. Established in 2015, Blue Star Press is a team of industry outsiders who love to think creatively, push boundaries and reimagine what’s possible with books, games and gift products.
Whataburger Fancy Ketchup Puzzle. Photo: Whataburger, used with permission.
Pearl to host UNESCO Chefs for Pueblos del Maíz. Chef Jaime Gonzalez of Carriqui. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
San Antonio has blossomed into a vibrant culinary hub, blending rich cultural influences and innovative gastronomy. Its diverse food scene, rooted in Tex-Mex and traditional Southern flavors, showcases local ingredients and culinary traditions. The city has attracted renowned chefs and restaurants, earning accolades in national food rankings. Events like the San Antonio Restaurant Week and the annual Fiesta highlight local talent and foster a strong sense of community. The city’s burgeoning food markets, food trucks, and artisan producers further enrich its culinary landscape, making San Antonio a must-visit destination for food enthusiasts seeking unique and flavorful experiences.
The culinary scene is active throughout the year, with various locations hosting events to highlight the chefs and cuisine that makes San Antonio shine. One of these is the Pearl downtown and this week they are hosting Pueblos del Maíz events.
Pearl is proud to host Pueblos del Maíz events this week on October 10-11, 2024. This celebration highlights San Antonio’s role as a UNESCO Creative City of Gastronomy and showcases the importance of maíz (corn) in global culinary traditions. San Antonio UNESCO Chef Ambassadors, including Chef Jaime Gonzalez of Carriqui, will showcase the diverse flavors of maíz by preparing small bites inspired by UTSA’s Special Collections cookbooks. (Pearl, 2024)
Thursday, October 10, 2024 – Ticketed event at Carriqui
The event kicks off on October 10 with an exclusive ticketed dinner at Carriqui from 6p.m. to 8p.m. This reception style experience will also feature maíz inspired signature cocktails and tastings of maíz derived spirits prepared by UNESCO Chef Ambassadors. Tickets are $70 per person and available online.
Friday, October 11, 2024 – Free Event at Pearl Park
On October 11, the celebration expands to a free community event at Pearl Park from 5:30p.m. to 9:30p.m. Visitors can enjoy cooking demonstrations by UNESCO Chef Ambassadors from Bergamo, Italy; Tucson, Arizona; Merida, Mexico; and San Antonio, Texas. The event will also feature live music, art installations, and a variety of food and beverage vendors showcasing maíz-inspired creations.
Musicians and music lovers are sure to enjoy custom wall art from 6Stringers. Photo: 6Stringers, used with permission.
Personalized wall art is a unique gift idea. For guitar lovers, it adds a distinctive touch to any space, celebrating their passion for music. Custom pieces can feature favorite song lyrics, iconic guitar silhouettes, or even artwork of cherished instruments. These creations transform walls into a vibrant tribute to one’s musical journey, making them perfect for homes, studios, or practice spaces. Whether it’s a framed print, canvas, or metal sign, personalized art captures the essence of a guitarist’s identity. These thoughtful decorations not only enhance the aesthetic of a room but also serve as daily inspiration, reminding them of their love for music and creativity.
With the holiday shopping season among us, it’s time to start thinking about gift ideas. If someone you know loves guitars and would appreciate a personalized gift, consider 6Stringers. Or treat yourself and show off your guitar passion with customized wall art. (6Stringers, 2024)
6Stringers creates world class personalized wall art for guitar lovers. Their custom wall art includes:
Canvas Wall Art – Claim your spot as the headliner of your Guitar Room with a beautifully customized guitar canvas.
Metal Wall Art – Create your personalized Metal Sign to showcase in your Guitar Room.
Why you should buy customized gifts from 6Stringers:
Made in the U.S.A. – their products are crafted in the U.S.A with high-quality materials. Each product is customized with meticulous attention to detail to inspire and enhance your guitar space.
Preview & Edits – your satisfaction is their top priority. Your masterpiece will begin production after you approve the preview proof email.
Fast & Reliable Shipping – they use reliable and trusted shipping partners (UPS, USPS, and FedEx) to deliver your orders quickly and safely. You’ll receive a tracking number by email once your package ships.
So what are you waiting for? Order your very own wall art from 6Stringers for your music room, jam room, or wherever else you ROCK OUT, or surprise your loved one with their very own wall art. They’ll love you for it.
Canvas wall art. Photo: 6Stringers, used with permission.
The Contemporary at Blue Star is excited to announce three new exhibitions, The C&s Center of Unfinished Business, Kaysaypac: Portraits and Figures by Leeanna Chipana, and Cheng Xinhao’s Silver…and Other Elements. The summer exhibitions weave an unavoidable thread that sparks conversation around the history of colonialism, its presence in contemporary life, and encourages education and dialogue. They are currently on view until October 6, 2024. (Contemporary at Blue Star, 2024)
The C&s Center of Unfinished Business Contemporary is thrilled to partner with C&, a multimedia platform for contemporary visual arts, to present the Center of Unfinished Business, a reading room that encapsulates an array of books that explore the persistence of colonialism in various ways, from its origins to how it effects people and places today. You’ll find texts on the way land and culture have been forcibly stripped from native people due to colonialism alongside texts that explore how empire-building also connects to fashion, 21st century capitalism, and more.
Launched in 2017, the Reading Room has traveled to institutions around the world. As it travels, the room integrates books from each of its host venues (and their collaborators), who add text that is relevant to the place the Reading Room inhabits. For the Contemporary’s iteration of this installation, we have partnered with the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Latino Bookstore to include texts that touch on the themes of colonialism and borders that are present in the exhibitions in the surrounding galleries.
Kaysaypac: Portraits and Figures by Leeanna Chipana Born in Long Island, New York to an immigrant Quechuan-Peruvian father and American mother, Leeanna Chipana draws from her Quechuan and American identity by incorporating Incan, Aztec, and Mayan iconography with classical European oil painting techniques and approaches. The blending and blurring of indigenous figures and Western techniques is an effort of disrupting colonial erasure by placing Indigenous-Latinx figures at the forefront of a very Euro-centric style of painting.
The exhibition title, Kaysaypac (pronounced cow-say-pak), a nod to Chipana’s Quechuan-Peruvian heritage, is a phrase often used while making a toast or a cheers and translates to “to live/to life.” Further cementing the presence of indigenous peoples, this sentiment incorporated into the title is a dedication to the descendants of the Incans continuing to live in community, surviving colonialism and violence.
Cheng Xinhao Silver…and Other Elements In this four-channel film, Cheng Xinhao investigates the Mang people’s (the indigenous people living at the border of Vietnam and China) adaptation to shifting borders and changing systems. To explore this moving borderline and the migration of its people, Xinhao follows the fluctuating use of currency.
These shifting borders create a state of in-betweenness and displacement—a sentiment many border communities around the world still struggle with, and yet adapt to. Xinhao’s video raises the question: what symbols are appropriated and survive under new regimes? Will they be incorporated into existing systems, or will new forms be created?
Contemporary at Blue Star 116 Blue Star San Antonio, TX 78204
‘Paul Kane’s Travels in Indigenous North America’ by I.S. MacLaren explores the life, times, and challenging legacy of 19th Century Canadian artist Paul Kane. Photo: Amazon
McGill-Queen’s University Press announces the release of the four-volume publication “Paul Kane’s Travels in Indigenous North America: Writings and Art, Life and Times” by I.S. MacLaren, the first comprehensive survey of Paul Kane’s (1810–1871) life and work in more than fifty years. Kane’s field sketches made between 1845 and 1848 constitute the first visual record of Indigenous life all the way from the Great Lakes to the Pacific Ocean by a Non-Indigenous artist. (Bow Bridge Communications, 2024)
Beginning his research three and one-half decades ago, MacLaren, professor emeritus at the University of Alberta, provides a singular opportunity to examine the impacts of Kane’s travels in Indigenous North America through his writings, art, life, times, and complex legacy. A meticulous, panoramic examination, “Paul Kane’s Travels in Indigenous North America” also studies the artist’s legacy in terms of his contemporaries’, his technique, and the complicated history of the source of the works. The author examines Kane’s travels and output by focusing on four areas of study: history of the fur trade, book publishing history, art history, and ethnohistory.
Paul Kane, a portraitist based in Toronto, set out from the city in 1845 for Lake Huron and Wisconsin. From 1846 to 1848, he continued to the upper Great Lakes, the Prairies, across the Rockies, down the Columbia River, and through Oregon Territory to Puget Sound and Vancouver Island. MacLaren reconstructs the colonial processes that turned Kane’s unique descriptions and depictions of Indigenous peoples into benighted stereotypes, teaching contemporary readers valuable lessons about what we thought we knew about Kane and his art, how he let himself be turned into a detractor of Native Americans, and how society endowed him with authority that was not always warranted.
Kane has been called the founding father of Canadian art, and his “Wanderings of an Artist among the Indians of North America” (1859) is considered a classic of Canadian literature, albeit a controversial one if viewed from a contemporary perspective. More recently, he has been vilified as having misrepresented and exploited his subjects.
“Paul Kane’s Travels” features reproductions of nearly all Kane’s sketches—many published for the first time—and many of his studio paintings, as well as transcriptions of his field writings. The writings, which show the artist to have been a curious traveler fascinated by Indigenous lifeways, contain no negative references to Indigenous people. MacLaren’s work also features a transcription of manuscripts not in Kane’s handwriting (by unknown scribes), the text of the first edition of “Wanderings of an Artist,” an updated catalog, and detailed maps of Kane’s routes. Through the author’s in-depth research, the publication offers scholarly and first-hand understandings of the lives and histories of the real people Kane described and depicted while providing an authoritative biographical portrait of the artist. Thanks to family descendants’ support, MacLaren has identified 26 Indigenous people depicted in the portraits.
Publication Specifications 2,408 pages, 9 x 12”, 4-volume set, full color throughout | Cloth 9780228017479 $450 CDN / $375 USD | Available for purchase here.
Contemporary at Blue Star presents Xicanx: Dreamers + Changemakers | Soñadores + creadores del cambio. Photo: Contemporary at Blue Star
Contemporary at Blue Star is honored to present Xicanx: Dreamers + Changemakers | Soñadores + creadores del cambio,opening Friday, June 7, 2024, from 6p.m. – 9p.m. at the Contemporary. The opening night will also include a performance by Robert Jose Gonzalez at 8p.m. As the exhibition title suggests, the artists in this exhibition are dreamers and changemakers. Of Mexican American origin, they self-identify as Xicanx, a term that crosses national borders and gender lines to encompass a multi-generational experience. This exhibition uses the term Xicanx to refer to Chicano, Chicana, and Chicanx. The term reflects those who fought for and claim this designation and incorporates the ‘X’ from the Spanish transcription of the Nahuatl sound ‘ch.’ Nahuatl is one of the major Indigenous languages in Mexico. The ‘x’ on the end signals gender-neutral and non-binary inclusivity. (Contemporary at Blue Star, 2024)
Opening Night: Friday, June 7, 2024 | 6p.m. – 9p.m. Performance by Robert Jose Gonzalez at 8p.m. | Free and open to the public On View: June 7, 2024–October 6, 2024
The original conception of this exhibition came from a desire curators Jill Baird and Greta de León had to share the overlooked histories of American civil rights, including the Chicano/a civil rights movement of the 1960s and 70s, called El Movimiento. The installation at Contemporary at Blue Star is particularly significant due to El Movimiento’s roots in San Antonio, and the West Side of the city. From fighting for labor rights to equality for students, the work of San Antonio activists (and artists) played a crucial role in El Movimiento.
Some of the artists in Xicanx, began their work as part of El Movimiento. Much of the artwork created during this time sought to do the very things that this exhibition does: educate about the social inequity of Xicanx peoples, their history, and the importance of their culture. Other artists define themselves through their indigenous roots, and a younger generation expands the idea of Xicanx Art while continuing the work of addressing personal, social, and political issues of today.
In their curatorial statement, Baird and Greta note the importance of this work, “Artists were a major and critical part of El Movimiento over 50 years ago, and they continue to be strong activists fighting for equality and against racism and discrimination. Being Chicano or Xicanx* is an identity all of the artists in this exhibition choose. It is more than being just Mexican American; it is accepting the responsibility to fight for their community, their culture and their civil rights. The artists in this exhibition are dreamers and changemakers.”
Alongside the artwork are quotes, speeches, or sayings from prominent Xicanx authors, scholars, and exhibiting artists. A projection displays the work of murals across the United States, showcasing the reach and breadth of Xicanx voices in public art.
Xicanx: Dreamers + Changemakers | Soñadores + creadores del cambio was originally produced and presented by the Museum of Anthropology (MOA) at UBC and The Americas Research Network (ARENET), and curated by Jill Baird, former Curator of Education, MOA + Greta de León, Executive Director, ARENET. The presentation at Contemporary at Blue Star has been organized in collaboration with Mary Heathcott, Executive Director Contemporary at Blue Star; Jacqueline Saragoza McGilvray, Curator and Exhibitions Director, Contemporary at Blue Star; and Jon Hinojosa, President, CREO Consulting.
Contemporary at Blue Star presents exhibitions with artists from San Antonio and around the world sharing their global perspectives that encourage understanding, empathy, change, and action, fulfilling our mission to inspire, nurture, and innovate. Like most non-collecting contemporary art spaces, the Contemporary contributes fresh insights and perspectives on larger issues affecting society and culture by highlighting trends, movements, and conversations happening in art. Admission to the Contemporary is always free.
Contemporary at Blue Star 116 Blue Star San Antonio, TX 78204 (210) 227-6960
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