EDINBURG — Latin culture and religious iconography were some of the colorful sights on display in the artwork adorning the walls here at the Dustin Michael Sekula Memorial Library on Wednesday.
Paintings depicting lucha libre masks and other iconic Latin American symbols highlight the Hispanic culture in the Rio Grande Valley. But there’s much more here that artists hope will resonate with residents and visitors alike.
The city of Edinburg hosted an artist reception Wednesday for its “first-ever” group art exhibit, “Printed Pueblos & Personas De Pura Cultura,” which features the work of seven local artists from across the Valley.
The art is displayed at the library, located at 1906 S. Closner Blvd. The new exhibit opened April 11 and is scheduled to remain open to the public until May 25.
According to Magdiel Castle, assistant director of arts for the city of Edinburg, the city is changing the way it holds these events throughout the year by moving away from solo exhibits to initiating group exhibits that will open more opportunities to local artists.
“This year we decided to change it up a little and do group exhibits so that we can have a variety of styles,” Castle said, adding that the exhibit is used to provide a platform for local artists. “The goal is for the artist to sell their work, not just showcase it.”
The city sent invitations to 15 different artists across the Valley whose main focus was creating “traditional print media and new print media.”
One artist, Michel Flores Tavizon, a printmaking artist, focused on the impact of living near the border. In her artwork “American Dreams” she illustrates the Mexican-American border from the perspective of someone living in Mexico.
Jessie Burciaga, a relief print and pencil artist, exhibited several works of religious and cultural inspiration, one of which displayed what appeared to be the sacred heart, a Catholic symbol, with a lucha libre mask covering it. He calls it “Sacred Fighter.”
Benito Lozano, a local resident, attended Wednesday’s event and knows a little about design himself.
“I work in architecture here in the Valley and I do works of art on my own too, so I thought this was interesting,” Lozano said.
The city hopes a successful event would pave the way for future group exhibits in a city and region with a thriving art scene.
“We are hoping that it (group exhibits) continues on … We want to do that so that we can provide an opportunity to a larger number of artists,” Castle said.
The library is open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday.
