De Tierras Bravas | Arts + Literature Laboratory | Madison Contemporary Arts Center

De Tierras Bravas

De Tierras Bravas, a group exhibition featuring the work of contemporary Mexican and Mexican-American printmakers from both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border curated by J. Leigh Garcia, is on display at Arts + Literature Laboratory from February 17 through April 2, 2022. The exhibition features recent works by Omar González, Héczar Gómez, Juana Estrada Hernandez, Victor Lopez, Mari Mariel, and Marco Sánchez. The show is part of the SGCI Madison: Our Shared Future international printmaking conference March 16-19, 2022. An artist reception will be held Friday, March 18, 2022, 6-9pm.

Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday 12-5pm (free). The galleries will be closed on Tuesday, March 28 and Friday, April 1. Please review our current COVID-19 safety guidelines before your visit. 

Artist Statement

De Tierras Bravas

El grabado, en México, se inició el siglo XVI. De hecho, México es conocido como el primer país latinoamericano al utilizar la obra gráfica. Grabados de la revolución Mexicana y la Segunda Guerra Mundial, hechos por artistas Mexicanos, hoy continúan ser exhibidos y celebrados. Claramente, mostrando sus impactante influencias en impresarios contemporáneos y de ancestros Mexicanos. En la exhibición De Tierras Bravas (Our Wild Land), la obra de seis impresarios Mexicanos y Mexicano-Americanos de ambos lados del bordo de la frontera de México y los Estados Unidos, explora temas de folclore Mexicano, inmigración, obrero, identidad cultural y a la vez honorando la vibrante y comúnmente tumultuosa historia de la tierra Mexicana.

De Tierras Bravas está comisariada por el artista y profesor de la Universidad Estatal de Kent, J. Leigh Garcia Esta exposición presenta el trabajo de Héczar Gómez, Omar González, Juana Estrada Hernández, Mariela López, Victor López, and Marco Sánchez.

Our Wild Land

Printmaking in Mexico dates back to the sixteenth century with Mexico being credited as the first Latin American country to utilize print. Prints of the Mexican Revolution and World War II made by Mexican artists are still celebrated and exhibited today, with many leaving their impact and influence on contemporary printmakers of Mexican descent. In the exhibition, De Tierras Bravas, the work of six contemporary Mexican and Mexican-American printmakers from both sides of the Mexico-U.S. border explore themes of Mexican folklore, immigration, labor, and cultural identity while honoring the spirited and often tumultuous history of Mexican land. 

De Tierras Bravas is curated by artist and Kent State University professor, J. Leigh Garcia. This exhibition features the work of Héczar Gómez, Omar González, Juana Estrada Hernández, Mariela López, Victor López, and Marco Sánchez.

Omar González holding a printmaking piece.

Omar González is a printmaker who graduated with his Master of Fine Arts at the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2020. Previously, he obtained a Master of Business Administration and Bachelor of Fine Arts at Texas A&M University – Kingsville in 2009 and 2014, respectively. His work is included in collections located at the National Museum of Mexican Art (Chicago, IL), Mexic-Arte Museum (Austin, TX), and Zuckerman Museum of Art (Kennesaw, GA). Some of his work can also be located in Canada, France, Germany, China, Australia, and have exhibited across the U.S.

His current body of work focuses on the exploration of identity by questioning the expectations passed down from generation to generation. Emphasizing the influences of early development and its ramification throughout a lifetime creates a dialogue in understanding its foundation. Set within the framework of the household, questions arise that touch upon authority, gender roles, the idea of control or lack... Read More

Fruits of Our Labor, Lithograph by Juana Estrada Hernandez

Juana Estrada Hernandez was born in Luis Moya, Zacatecas, Mexico and moved to the United States when she was seven years old. She received her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Printmaking at Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas. She is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Printmaking at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Estrada Hernandez is a recipient of the Southern Graphic Council International Graduate Fellowship Award, SITE Scholars Award, Center of Fine Arts Dean Travel Award, UNM Student Conference Award Program, Ralph W. Douglas Endowed Memorial Scholarship, and amongst others. As a printmaking artist, Estrada Hernandez utilizes her experiences growing up in the United State as a young undocumented immigrant to create work that addresses social and political problems surrounding Hispanic migrant communities. Her creative practice stems from her love of drawing, Mexican folklore, Hispanic culture, and her family’s migration stories.

Portrait of Marco Sánchez

Marco Sánchez is a Mexican-born artist based out in El Paso, Texas. He attended and received his B.F.A. from the University of Texas at El Paso with a double concentration in Painting and Printmaking. His work ranges from his relationship with his mentors and peers alike, to culture background and Mexican folklore, and is most recently exploring the notion of immigrant identity plays in society as a result of the current political climate in the United States.

 

He has worked primarily in the Southwestern United States, he has also participated in residencies throughout Mexico, including City, Michoacan, Oaxaca, and most recently Queretaro. Sánchez also teaches printmaking classes and workshops at the El Paso Museum of Art and will be participating in a community-engaging month-long residency in June of 2019. He is attending Edinboro University of Pennsylvania to pursue an M.F.A. in printmaking under the guidance of Bill Mathie.

Victor Lopez

Victor López was born in Oaxaca de Juárez, on June 1, 1989.

He is studying his bachelor's degree at the Faculty of Fine Arts of the Autonomous University of Querétaro.

In 2012 he was awarded the “State Ecology Award” in the Canvas Mural category. Santiago de Querétaro Qro. As a visual artist he has presented his work individually at the Regional Museum of the State of Querétaro and the  Rosario Sánchez de Lozada municipal gallery in the same state.

He has participated in more than 70 national and international group exhibitions, presenting his work in countries such as Uruguay, Sweden, Estonia and the United States.

He is a founding member of the “La madriguera Gráfica” Collective, which proposes collective dialogue, as an artistic-social exercise, through experimentation with different graphic disciplines. I recently inaugurated “Casa Galería,” a personal project that disseminates and promotes the graphic work of different artists from Mexico and abroad... Read More

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Arts + Literature Laboratory is located at 111 S. Livingston Street #100, Madison, Wisconsin, 53703.

Our galleries are open Tuesday through Friday 10am-5pm and Saturday noon to 5pm, and other programs take place throughout the week. Please check the events calendar and education section for details.

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