"Trensas" by Mel (Melo) Dominguez
The award-winning and innovative Raices Taller 222, a Latino-based nonprofit cooperative contemporary art gallery located in the downtown Tucson Arts District (self-described as “the last of the co-ops”), has launched its much anticipated annual exhibit, Mujeres, Mujeres, Mujeres (Women, Women, Women), or, as gallery co-owner Ceci Garcia describes it, “what women are doing.”
Six years ago, a community of women artists engendered what is a powerful force for sharing paintings, sculpture, photography and mixed media work. More than 50 artists participated in last year’s extravaganza, showing 80 plus pieces, and Garcia expects at least that many for this year’s event.
The unique show attracts local, regional, national and international entrants. Among the illustrious creators are Guerilla Girls on Tour, Nancy McRay (MI), Melo Dominguez, M. Jenea-Sanchez from ASU, Pima’s Christine Dawdy, Lisa-Marie Barber (University of Wisconsin), To-Ree-Nee Wolf McArdle, Nina Tang, Bisbee, Glory Tacheenie-Compoy and Marika Szabo (Canada), along with about 40 others.
Not only do they work in a variety of media, from sculpture to printmaking, painting to fabric, ceramics to collage, but a range of ages and ethnicities are also represented, creating a healthy smattering of diversity.
A special energy is generated by any such gathering of purely feminine output, which tends to permeate whatever space it occupies with radiant color, audacious and stimulating design, thoughtful subject matter and the essence of “anima.” Women artists are all too painfully aware that, for most of what is considered cultural history, their work has been either dismissed or ignored.
Still, the drive toward self-expression and the need to acknowledge artistic obligation are irrepressible, and therefore they continue, occasionally getting an opportunity such as is afforded by Raices Taller’s annual showcase.
The exhibit opened May 1 and continues through June 12. On May 29, a special poetry reading featuring “Mujeres que Escriven” convenes at 7:30 p.m. with guest writers including Silviana Wood, Valerina Quintana and others.
Raices Taller 222 Art Gallery and Workshop, 218 E. 6th St., is open Fri- Sat from 1pm to 5pm. See RaicesTaller222.org; dial 881-5335.
