'The Art Of Dissent' to Open at Galeria Inqilab
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Galeria Inqilab, at 5 Holden St., will feature artwork from the Asaro collective in Oaxaca, Mexico, in a show titled “The Art of Dissent.” The exhibition was curated by Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts professor Ann Scott.The public is invited to attend the free opening of this exhibit on Thursday, July 29, from 6 to 9 p.m.
The exhibition includes a collection of 18 woodcut prints made by artists of the Asaro collective. The collective formed in 2006 during the political turmoil in Oaxaca – a peaceful teachers’ strike that was met with a violent state crackdown, according to Scott.
The woodcuts refer to the events of 2006, as well as other critical political and social issues affecting the Mexican people.
“The exhibit is unique in that it tells the story of a particular political situation in Oaxaca, but it’s also a broader story of the history of Mexico and the struggle for indigenous rights,” said Scott. “The prints are all very beautiful and powerful. Some of them are quite disturbing. Some are transparent while others need interpretation.”
The exhibition originated in one of Scott’s classes, “Great Monuments of Art II,” as part of a unit on Navajo art and culture. Students from this class wrote text to accompany the images on display.
All profits from the exhibit will go to Asaro.
Gallery talks given by Scott about the exhibit and the social political situation in Oaxaca that gave rise to the formation of the artist collective will take place on Aug. 12 and Sept. 16 at 6 p.m.
A catalog with descriptions of the artwork is available for sale at Galeria Inqilab.
As part of this year’s DownStreet Art initiative – organized by the Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) at MCLA – the installation will be available for viewing July 29 through Sept.19. Gallery hours are Wednesday through Friday, noon to 6 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
For more information about this exhibit go to www.mcla.digication.com. To learn more about DownStreetArt, go to www.downstreetart.com.
