By Ruth Guajardo
For over a decade, this neighborhood-based community festival, presented in collaboration with the Jefferson/Woodlawn Lake Community Development Corporation, highlights the immense artistic talent of the city’s historic Deco District. COVID-19 has greatly impacted the work we do here at Centro Cultural Aztlan, and we have had to adapt quickly! We are excited and proud to present 4 unique artists, highlighting theatre, film, visual arts, and music during EL GRAN MES DE LOS ARTISTAS.
Centro Cultural Aztlan was founded in 1977 with a vision to build upon the traditions of Chicano/a, Latino/a, and indigenous peoples by creating cultural programs that involve local artists and increase public awareness of their work. We continue to serve this mission today through our commitment to preserving and promoting Chicano/a, Latino/a, and indigenous arts and culture, and through our commitment to diversity, education, and promotion of local artists. We invite you to help us celebrate over four decades of Cultivando Cultura. El Gran Mes de Los Artistas is a month long, free community celebration that promises to be an explosion of creativity in the Deco District showcasing teatro, film, visual arts, and live music!
6/5/2020: Carmen from Mexico is a solo multimedia play that pushes back against the racist, divisive narratives that have become so common in our country these last few years. It is based on De Luna’s mother’s childhood immigrant experience and shares her harrowing yet sometimes comical struggles in adapting to her new life in Texas. Anna De Luna is an actor, writer and HIV prevention activist. She received her training at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York City and has toured with the National Theater of the Performing Arts, Mixed Blood and the American Theater Company in Brussels, Belgium.
6/12/2020: Law in Identity: Reality and Imagination. In this virtual short film screening and seminar, we examine and discuss the effects of “law” on the complexity of selfhood when conceived under the imagined laws of Science, God, and Man. Jonathan Treviño is a Mestizo artist, born and raised in San Antonio, Texas. He earned his BFA with Honors in Photography from Parsons, The New School for Design, he worked in advertising and fashion photography for clients ranging from Kike, Vogue, Sephora and many others.
6/19/2020: The Mexican Experience Through Lotería. Chicano artist Israel Rico will showcase certain stories not only about his Mexican roots, but also about his experience growing up in San Antonio through painting his modern take on Lotería cards. The aesthetics of Rico’s work focuses on Chicano imagery and Pop-Culture. Rico says of his work, “it’s mixing Pop Culture and Chicano Imagery for a New Generation…I like to take the imagery of our culture, whether it’s Aztec imagery, folklore, icons and juxtapose them to canvas; it’s my artist mission in creating new Chicano imagery for the future that inspires me!”
6/20/2020: Mascaras de Aztlán. COVID 19 has changed the way we live our lives, and as a community, we have had to adjust. As new guidelines have required us to wear face masks when out in public, as advocates for the arts and in an effort to continue supporting our local artists through this difficult time, Centro Cultural Aztlán presents, Mascaras de Aztlán. A virtual exhibition of hand painted and embellished cloth facemasks by over 20 local artists. These amazing wearable art pieces will be in an online gallery, for sale, via Facebook. Prices will vary, and mascaras will be sold to the person who comments first! Don’t miss this amazing virtual exhibition!
6/25/2020: El Tallercito de Son. Join El Tallercito for live Son Jarocho music from Southern Mexico. El Tallercito de Son SATX is a collective of students, teachers, artist, activists, community organizers and musicians, who share Son Jarocho with the community of San Antonio through FREE community talleres, or workshops. If you like what you see, join El Tallercito for their free weekly workshops on Tuesdays at 7:30pm!
EVENT: El Gran Mes de Los Artistas
WHEN: Fridays, June 5, 12, 19, and 26, 2020, beginning at 7:00pm
WHERE: Centro Cultural Aztlan, Facebook and Social Media Platforms
CONTACT: Ruth Guajardo 210-432-1896 centroaztlan@sbcglobal.net Malena Gonzalez-Cid ccaztlan@swbell.net
