Inspired by Uruguayan Mario Beneditti’s poem of the same name, this year’s 19th Annual Solo Mujeres’ exhibition, which opened on Friday March 3 at the Mission Cultural Center, is entitled, “Tactica y Estrategia”, reminding the artist that tactics and strategies are needed in order to become accomplished in an ever-so progressive art world in flux.

Upon walking into the open space with shiny, natural wood floors, there is a sense of relief and utter ease. It’s as if the gallery itself is exhaling. This open space, which houses the precious collection of creative morsels, is in and of itself, inspiring. And, nestled inside of an office, behind a seamless white door, is gallery director, Patricia Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, a well-accomplished artist herself, has been a voice of the Chicana artista movement for most of her life. Recalling the days of the “Mujeres Muralistas,” a group of Chicana women who in the early 70s, got together to create art and murals, Rodriquez remembers the fight for women artists to be taken seriously. “We used to ask our compadres if we could paint with them. They said no because they were Diego Rivera. We could only be their assistants.”

It is this consciousness that sparks Mujeres.

What is also striking and somewhat of a relief is not just the rich plethora of Latina artists but also the diversity of artistic subjects themselves. We see acrylic painting renditions of Billy Holiday by Holly Calica to a blink of a snapshot of Time Square, by Ethel Jimenez.

Tactica zooms into a diverse microcosm of Latina artists.

Filmmaker and photographer Catherine Herrera shared her vision through video. Her piece entitled, “Mother’s Nature of Creating” is particularly nuanced. A wet lily shot at different still video frames keeps the onlooker staring at what would normally be just another flower. But, the intense close-ups and pauses make you consider what else it could be. It forces you to see the constant and consistent design in creation and how it ultimately is linked to the feminine and her ability to create. It is a visual metaphor for the delicacy and raw beauty of life.

In Viviana Paredes’s piece “Pocha Tongues,” the 18 hand blown glass pieces that are filled with healing herbs seems to represent what is becoming more and more common: the bilingual household. This piece tackles the discomfort of growing up and having to adhere to the outside world of mono-lithic mainstream while trying to maintain one’s unique and organic cultural center.

“Bailando” and “Karnalitas” are two embroidered pieces by Mexico native now living in New York, Blanka Amezkua. These are amazing pieces, which bring a sort of Nuevo ‘vata-loca’ sensibility. Although the caricatures of these women bring to mind Tio Nacho’s low-rider, they are accentuated with bright fluorescent colors, bringing a particular, generational, retro 80’s twist. It is as if these vatas were interpreted not necessarily by the zoot suiters, but perhaps through the nostalgic eyes of a new Generation X of Chicanas.

Overall, Tactica defies the stereotype of Latin art.

“This is a different perspective of what Latin art can be,” said guest curator Cecilia Foote. “Tactica y Estrategia shatters the romantic notions, preconceived ideas and clichés surrounding Latin art.”

Tactica does a beautiful job of reiterating the individual inside of the cultural context rather than the other way around.

It takes the nuance of human expression, captures it through the hearts and individualized experiences of these amazing women artists and somewhere overlaps with something we can all understand.

”We’re just as smart. We’re just as wonderful and we’re beautiful. So, let’s do some art,” said Rodriguez with the soft gold glow of gallery lights shining on her smile. ©



The exhibition runs until April 1.

Page 1 of 1