REDEFINING LATINO ART THROUGH A CELEBRATION OF DIVERSITY
Upcoming Exhibition at Columbia College Chicago Features
Accomplished Latin American Artists

Chicago, December 2002 – Symbols, Myth and Metaphors is an exhibition featuring outstanding Chicago-based Latin American Artists who address meaning, symbols, beauty and spirituality through the diversity of their visual language. A process exhibition, Symbols, Myth and Metaphor features final pieces of work as well as preliminary sketches, drawings and other evidence that demonstrates how an artist arrived at his/her final product.

Symbols, Myth and Metaphors opens at Columbia College Chicago’s A+D 11th Street Gallery on January 24 and runs through March 8, 2003. A+D 11th Street Gallery is located at 72 E. 11th Street . Gallery hours are 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday – Saturday. An opening reception will take place on Friday, January 24th, 5 – 7 p.m. The exhibition and reception are free and open to the public. For more information call 312.344.6156.



"The goal of this exhibition is to challenge people to go beyond the narrow definitions that tend to be associated with Latin American art and provoke new ways of looking at art created by Latinos," said exhibition curator and accomplished artist Oscar Martinez. "The artists presented represent a rich cultural diversity within the Latino community and their participation in Symbols, Myth and Metaphors have allowed them to explore their individual culture and personal definitions of who they are."

Martinez has had numerous solo and group exhibitions throughout the United States, the Caribbean and Mexico. He was actively involved in Chicago’s mural movement and several of his murals can be seen around the city. Martinez is the founder of the Latin American Museum of Art.
Participating artists include Montserrat Alsina, Javier Chavira, Jorge Felix, Alfredo Martinez Galvan, Sergio Gomez, Alberto Gonzalez, Eladio Gonzalez, Raul Ortiz, Paul Sierra, Michele Tuohey and Santiago Vaca.

Columbia College Chicago is the country’s largest visual, performing and media arts college.