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A new exhibition at the Centro de Artes Gallery, titled "A Postmodernist Says ¿Qué?", brings together Latino artists exploring identity through humor across a range of mediums, including collages, sculptures, ceramics, and installations. Curator Vikky Jones said the show uses humor to open conversations and offer new perspectives on issues that aren’t always easy to discuss.
“Humor is a way for people to connect in a different way about issues that maybe we don't talk about all the time. So I thought it might be a nice avenue to open up conversations and perspectives.”
Jones proposed the exhibition and then reached out to local artists to take part. As she reviewed the work, she said themes began to emerge, from political commentary to nostalgic references to family.
Artist Angeles Salinas said he began developing ideas after Jones introduced the show’s focus on humor. He said brainstorming is part of his creative process, but it wasn’t until recently that he landed on a concrete idea.
His pieces are titled “Un Pobre Diablo,” or “a poor devil.” The devil can be seen wearing traditional Mexican masks used in a dance called Los Viejitos de la Danza, or “the old people of dance.” Salinas said that his series depict the devil as a balance, as the force that encourages people to behave.
“But we all think about him (the devil) as a bad guy,” Salinas said. “So in these paintings, he's crying because he’s like, ‘all the people think I am the bad guy, but I'm the balance.’”
Ursula Zavala said she was interested in being a part of this exhibition because her art typically revolves around humor. Zavala has an installation at the gallery titled “Crunchy.” She said that although it looks like a fun Fourth of July front lawn, the idea came from her thinking about putting American memorabilia on her house to avoid being targeted by ICE agents. She used the word “crunchy” instead of “country” to comment on the low literacy rates in the United States, where 54% of adults have literacy below a sixth-grade level.
“I like to take uncomfortable topics and then kind of put them through the ringer and make them more palatable for people,” Zavala said.
Another installation commenting on current events is a puppet theater collaboration between Mauro de la Tierra and Valley Ortiz. Ortiz said the puppets, created with paper-mâché, represent characters from San Antonio. One character is described by Ortiz as a “Karen culture vulture,” along with a “tacuache,” which represents the younger generation of Mexican Americans who are often called “Edgars.”
“There's a lot of dread and sort of agony that our communities are being ostracized right now. So we wanted to do something lighthearted and playful, but also still address very important social issues,” de la Tierra said. “So there are references to cultural appropriation and the double standards in how people view immigration.”
On May 7 from 6–8 p.m., there will be a variety of performances, including an activation of the puppet theater. De la Tierra said the puppets will sing a song, and there will be a surprise at the end of the performance.
Not all of the pieces featured in the exhibition were necessarily connected to Latino humor. Nain Leon displayed a series of photographs that depict Whataburger fries and condiments as larger-than-life on top of Monahans Sandhills State Park.
“So I always had this idea when I was very young of eating huge fries. I love fries,” Leon said. “Now that I'm an artist, I can make anything that I want.”
Hector Garza took this exhibition as an opportunity to express his queerness in his piece titled “Cuando supiste que eras jochis?” or “When did you know you were gay?” Garza explained his take on postmodern art.
“I think, to be postmodern, for me, is exploring stories that don't necessarily fit the traditional canon of Western art, and it kind of uses humor and different images to invite the viewer into that conversation,” Garza said.
Garza’s friend, who is also an artist, Alejandra ‘Mera Mera’ Sanchez Alanís, went to the opening reception on April 9.
“A lot of these artists are my friends, and so it's very personal to see my friends' artistic intellect and interpretation on the wall,” Sanchez Alanís said. “And it's an honor to see and to witness, because I know the body, mental, and spiritual work that goes into creating a work of art.”
The Centro de Artes Gallery is hosting an artist talk for this exhibition on August 6 from 6 to 8 p.m.
