“Estamos Aquà (We Are Here)â€
A collection of contemporary serigraphs by more than three dozen artists recently opened in the Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC) Inasmuch Foundation Gallery. The exhibit, entitled “Estamos Aquà (We Are Here),” will run until March 4 in the gallery, located in the college’s Visual and Performing Arts Center (VPAC).
The collection features contemporary serigraphs by 40 artists using a specialized silkscreen print technique from a collaborative Austin-based residency. Many of the artists speak from the Latino-Chicano perspective, and the resulting portfolio of prints expresses their celebrations, sorrows, challenges, popular culture and personal experiences.
Featuring vivid colors and sometimes startling imagery, the works in “Estamos Aquà (We Are Here)” encourage audiences to ask questions about the nature of cross-cultural exchange and discover how artists find their voices through personal stories and experiences that become part of the artistic process. The subject matter is as diverse as its creators and celebrates ideas like identity and sense of place.
The visual language drawn from varied traditions – including family and religious symbols, political motifs, the Mexican “Lucha Libre” matches, neighborhood (barrio) themes and Mexican graphic traditions – enlivens the aesthetic dialogue of the exhibition, which will be accompanied by fully bilingual gallery text and artist statements.
The exhibit is free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday – Thursday, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., and Fridays by appointment. To set an appointment time, call the Cultural Programs office at 682-7576. For more information, visit /cp/currentgallery. The exhibit is a program of Exhibits USA, a national division of Mid-America Arts Alliance, with The Oklahoma Arts Council and The National Endowment for the Arts.
OCCC serves more than 28,000 people each year. The college offers a full range of associate degree programs that prepare students to transfer to baccalaureate institutions while other degree and certificate programs prepare students for immediate employment in a variety of fields. At OCCC, students receive a quality education with small class sizes, dedicated teachers and leadership opportunities. Students can choose from more than 80 major fields of study and participate in any of the 40+ clubs and organizations and attend events such as the annual Arts Festival Oklahoma. For more information about OCCC, visit www.occc.edu.
