THE MAC ANNOUNCES TWO NEW EXHIBITIONS. 

Celebrating the Bicentennial of Mexico's independence from Spain

The grand opening will be on Saturday, September 18 from 5:30 to 8:00 PM

and will be on view through October 23, 2010.

 EXTENDED THROUGH 12 midnight Saturday

(Sunday really!) OCTOBER 30th!

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The McKinney Avenuen Contemporary is pleased to announce its participation, along with other Dallas art institutions, in celebrating Mexico's independence from Spain.  This bicentennial celebration will include exhibitions in all three of The MAC galleries.  The two large galleries will focus on The Cult of Death/La Santa Muerte and Los Olvidados/The Forgotten Ones.  The third gallery will feature an exhibit  entitled Los Colores del Cielo/The Colors of Heaven, a video created by Quin Mathews.

The grand opening will be Saturday, September 18, from 5:30 to 8:00 PM at our galleries located at 3120 McKinney Avenue, in the Uptown District of Dallas.

In the large galleries

The Forgotten Ones/Los Olvidados

 Exhibitions in the large galleries will explore the relationoship between the increasingly popular cult of death and its correlation with the country's forgotten citizens within a system that has no other sanctuary for them.  These two shows are collaborations between the McKinney Avenue Contemporary and Hank Lee, owner and director of San Angel, a gallery in the Blue Star complex in San Antonio.

Third gallery

Quin Mathews: Los Colores del Cielo

The focus of this video is on the unusual baroque churches and their preservation by the local communities protecting their historical integrity. 

In the summer of 2008, documentary filmmaker Quin Mathews visited many small villages in the Lake Patzcuaro area in the state of Michoacan in order to document the unique churches located there.  These unusual folk baroque churches have become paramount in providing solace to the community in a time where drug and violence has persisted as a serious issue for the people of Mexico. 

This solace is especially important because over the past ten years it has become apparent to visitors that the Michoacan people are facing incredible hardships due to violence.  In the state capital of Morelia, soldiers can be seen stationed all over the center of the city where deadly bombings occur.  Despite the violence that surrounds them, the people of Morelia worked relentlessly to maintain the integrity and beauty of these unique churches.

The restoration and preservation of these incredible structures have helped create a safe heaven within the sea of drug violence that has consumed much of the state.

Lobby Mural

Kyle Hobratschk: La Narración de La Santa Muerte

 In honor of the exhibition and celebration, Dallas artist Kyle Hobratschk designed and painted on the MAC lobby walls, a mural of Mexican History and Culture, titled "La Narración de La Santa Muerte."

"The mural narrates the origins and contemporary customs of Santa Muerte.  Her ties to Aztec culture reference Mictlantecuhtli, god of the dead and king of the underworld.  Some practices for worshiping Mictlantecuhtli even translate to the present day, like blowing smoke on Santa Muerte.  The integration of architectural ornamentation serves as a timeline to illustrate the breadth of influence on Mexican culture upon the Spanish arrival.  This includes Mayan designs, the Aztec warrior symbol of the Jaguar, Aztec calendar, Colonial Spanish baroque motifs and methods for displaying saints, and finally, the elaborate presentation of Santa Muerte."

 Please join us for the exhibition opening

 on September 18th, from 5:30 - 8:00 pm

 Chihuahua Parade*! Sangria! Sno-Cones! Free Tacos!

 (*Thanks to Operation Kindness)

exhibition sponsors:

 San Angel Folk Art Gallery

The MAC is funded in part by grants from:
Cultural Projects Program
City of Dallas
Office of Cultural Affairs 

Listen to the podcast of Quin Mathews' interview with Hank Lee, Director Liliana Bloch & Claude Albritton on his radio show "Art Matters", by Quin Mathews and Sharon Benge  which airs on WRR 101.1 and produced since 1988.  

reference:

"¡Viva México!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grito_de_Dolores

 exhibition Thank Yous and Credits:

     The Cow Goddess
     Kyle Hobratschk
     Hank Lee
     Lisa Miller
     Bruce Richardson
     Christie Vela
     The MAC staff

Listen to the podcast of Quin Mathews' interview

with Hank Lee, Director Liliana Bloch & Claude Albritton

on his radio show "Art Matters."