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Maira Garcia

De Lara brings ‘Tender Dissonance’ to La Peña

August 13, 2010 By Maira Garcia

delara artThe women in David de Lara’s artwork are all glamourous. They have curves, an air of mystery and are undeniably sexy.

“Years ago, someone once said that I create dolls,” de Lara said.

And it’s an accurate description. These doll-like women are the central theme in much of his work, including his latest exhibit, “Tender Dissonance,” which will be on display at the nonprofit art gallery La Peña through Aug. 28.

De Lara’s artistic background started at a young age when he began drawing and illustrating. He eventually received his B.F.A. from Texas A&M – Kingsville in 2003 and moved to Austin soon after.

“When I was younger, there were always comic books, animation and, later on as a teenager, photography, fashion, glamour type photography—you can see the merging of that,” de Lara says about his work now.

“Tender Dissonance” is a collection of these media that de Lara created over the years. His most recent work using photography, painting and digital manipulation have provided a new artistic outlet.

“I’m always wanting to challenge myself and try new things out,” he said.

As for his interest in using the female figure as the subject of work, he said it is something he gathered from classical influences, as women have always been a popular theme.

“It’s something that has always appealed to me and I just developed a style throughout the years from a variety of influences,” he said. “Luckily, I’ve been able to create a style of work that people recognize immediately, just the way I create the figures and the faces.”

De Lara describes his work as having gothic undertones. He says it’s never been intentional, but is a style that evolved as he continued to create art.

“I mostly use blacks, whites, reds and blues. The reds and blues make purples and pinks,” he said. “Very rarely will you see oranges or yellows.”

While de Lara has a distinct and focused style, he says there are little subtleties and symbolism throughout his work. However, he likes his dolls to keep their mystery when it comes to how they are perceived by the public.

“I never blatantly say what each piece is about. I like to leave it up to the viewer.”

See more of David de Lara’s work or purchase prints at www.lostdreams.org. For more on La Peña, visit them online at www.lapena-austin.org.

Filed Under: City & Culture Tagged With: art

Taco Journalism has an app for your appetite

July 28, 2010 By Maira Garcia

taco journalismTaco Journalism seeks only one thing: to find the best tacos in Austin.

A blog dedicated to reviewing taco eateries throughout the city and different parts of the country, Taco Journalism has been chronicling this epic quest since 2006. The blog and its taco reviews have garnered attention not just locally, but most recently from major outlets like The New York Times.

We sat down for tacos with members of the blog last year in this video. Now, the taco journalists have an iPhone app to help you find the best-rated tacos in town, as well as taco spots near your neighborhood. You can get the iTacos app here.

“We use a lot of social media like Facebook and Twitter, so we thought it would make sense if we got an app,” said Armando Rayo of Taco Journalism. “We’ve had more than a thousand downloads of the app.”

The group of taco-reviewing bloggers is composed of Rayo, Jarod Neece, Justin Bankston and Gordon Murphy, who go by their alter egos El Mundo de Mando, Jarod, Cornbiter Deluxe and The Commish, respectively. Alexandra Landeros, known as Undercover Mexican Girl, is the most recent addition to the Taco Journalism family.

Rayo, the unofficial spokesman for Taco Journalism, recently sat down with Austin Vida for some aguas frescas and a few plates of tacos at El Taquito on the East Side. Rayo, who is the vice president of engagement at Cultural Strategies, says his moonlighting gig as a taco journalist started thanks to friend and former Austinist Food Editor Sam Armstrong.

“One day Sam asked me to send him my top five taco places in town,” Rayo said. “I wrote it up in my own way and told him why I thought they were good. His article ended up getting a lot of traffic.”

taco journalism iphone appTaco Journalism was born. Though Armstrong is no longer affiliated with the site, Rayo, who grew up in El Paso, took over along with his taco-loving cohorts. Rayo’s passion for the Mexican dish shines through his posts which are flavored with his mix of Spanglish and careful attention to salsa heat and tortillas.

“In our writeups and reviews, we take everything into account—the feel of the place, customer service and of course the tacos,” he said. “We have fun with it though. It’s a hobby for us. We don’t make money of it.”

And that’s what makes Taco Journalism unique. They’re not afraid to say when a taco eatery is not so amazing.

“If we give a place a negative review, they tend to invite us back and we try to keep an open mind,” Rayo said. “We know some places have off-days and we try to be fair. However, we won’t change a review.”

Rayo says everyone at Taco Journalism has a different perspective on what makes a good taco. Readers often suggest new places for them to review and are also the first to comment when they agree or disagree with the bloggers’ evaluations. Regardless of opinion, Rayo said the best part about the blog is being able to interact with readers.

“We’ve done East Austin taco bike tours and we even had a taco tweet-up during SXSW this year,” Rayo said. “It’s about connecting with fans online and offline.”

Filed Under: City & Culture Tagged With: food, tech

Mexic-Arte celebrates 15 years of young Latino artists

July 27, 2010 By Maira Garcia

The Mexic-Arte Museum is celebrating the quince años of an annual exhibition that helped many young Latinos display their talents for the first time.

The 15th Young Latino Artists: Consensus of Taste exhibit features the works of 15 artists who have matriculated through the Young Latino Artists exhibition, which started in 1996. Sylvia Orozco, the co-founder and executive director of the museum, based the exhibit on Mexico’s El Encuentro Nacional de Arte Joven, a program that features work by artists under the age of 30. The exhibit runs through Aug. 30.

Claudia Zapata, curator of the exhibit and former intern at Mexic-Arte, said the premise of this exhibit was decided last year.

“I went through the work produced in the past 14 years by these artists and selected them based on how they were doing in their careers, their general notoriety, and availability of course,” she said.

The exhibit features work from 15 artists including Jesus Benavente, Candace Briceño, Margarita Cabrera, Bobby Dixon, Santiago Forero, Eduardo Xavier Garcia, Ivete Lucas, Randy Muniz, Cruz Ortiz, Matthew Rodriguez, Carlos Rosales-Silva, Abel Saucedo, Vargas-Suarez Universal, David “Shek” Vega and Jason Villegas.

“We have artists from the first group and some from last year. It varies, but it is a sporadic representation,” Zapata said, noting that though they didn’t get someone from each of the 14 YLA exhibits, the selection of artists turned out for the best.

“It turned out to be a really good mix of media. We have a video installation, street graffiti, sculpture installations – it touches on all bases,” she said. “You can see why the artists have been successful. They shine individually and as a group.”

Randy Muniz, who participated in last year’s YLA exhibit, had a mural titled “Won’t Let You Win” on display. The work was like an oversized charcoal drawing, which was created directly on the museum wall.

“I focus a lot of street art and graffiti,” he said. “It’s young and reckless. You see what you can get away with.”

Muniz said Troy Brauntuch, a fellow artist and University of Texas professor, was an important mentor and one of his most significant influences.

“I’d say he is one of the artists that had a major impact on me,” Muniz said. “He’s the only teacher that made me give a damn.”

The YLA exhibits have given Muniz a chance to show off his development as an artist.

“Art is one of the only things I’m really good at and I want to see where it takes me.”

Filed Under: City & Culture Tagged With: art

Discover a local photographer’s Town of Clouds

July 3, 2010 By Maira Garcia

town of clouds exhibit

Austin photographer Diego Huerta first heard of the Huichol, an indigenous Mexican tribe that lives in the Jalisco mountains, when he discovered that their ancient ceremonial grounds had been destroyed.

The ceremonial grounds were located in a canyon called Guitarritas, which is located in La Huasteca, a mountainous region in Nuevo Leon, Mexico.

“They consider this place to be the center of the universe—that this is the point of creation,” Huerta said. “Unfortunately, much of their ceremonial center was destroyed by landowners who simply didn’t want them there.”

The plight of the Huichol intrigued Huerta, motivating him to learn more about the group and eventually make them the subject of his new photography exhibit, “El Pueblo de las Nubes” (“Town of Clouds”). It’s being displayed for the first time in the Main Gallery at the Mexican American Cultural Center, or MACC. The exhibit, which opened June 19 and runs through August 14, features more than 30 photos of the Huichol tribe in their Jalisco village.

town of clouds exhibitHuerta first began his career as a photographer working for Reforma, a major newspaper in Mexico City. From there, he began working with advertising agencies and eventually found his way to art photography. Though he still does commercial work, Huerta’s art photography is a way for him to express and provoke emotion and meld what he knows about fine art.

“In photography, I found a way to synthesize everything and translate it into an image,” he said. “I think that’s what photography is to me, more so than painting—to create something where everyday the whole world has the chance to see it, but you perceive it in a distinct way.”

And that’s precisely what he set out to do in “Town of Clouds.” Huerta was able to find a young lawyer who was of Huichol ancestry and whose family was able to connect them to the group in Jalisco.

“They have a governor and elders whom we had to meet with to get permission to do this photo project with the intention of showing others who we are and where we came from,” he said.

Huerta said he believes that’s where the project was born from. Mexico, though perceived as a diverse and accepting society to the outside world, according to Huerta, has prevalent classism and racism issues particularly with indigenous groups. He cites the Mexican rhetoric relating to anti-immigration laws in Arizona as an example.

“These cultures have survived for generations and this same society casts them aside,” he said. “I thought it was very contradictory when (Mexicans) talk about being the same and being less racist when we are racist with our own people.”

diego huertaThe 23-day project resulted in beautifully detailed color photos of members of the Huichol tribe in their native setting. The stately governor stands tall in a close-up portrait with his sombrero. The little girl washing clothing on the creek with a bright pink laundry soap bar in the corner appears unaware of the photographer before her.

Huerta (pictured right with his camera) and his producer, Dany Gutierrez, said every time they see the photos, they see a new detail. Ultimately, they hope the exhibit displays to those who are not Mexican the richness and depth of the Mexican culture.

“The Huichol culture is something that should fill us with pride, not just outside of Mexico, but inside the country as well,” he said.

In addition to “Town of Clouds,”  Huerta’s photo exhibit “Fénix” is also on display at MACC in the Community Gallery. Fénix commemorates the 100th anniversary of firefighters in Nuevo León, Mexico.

For more info, visit www.ci.austin.tx.us/macc/.

Filed Under: City & Culture

Rubén Herrera exhibit reveals solidarity between Saltillo and Austin

June 11, 2010 By Maira Garcia

ruben herreraThe connection between Austin and the city of Saltillo in Coahuila, Mexico, has become more than just a diplomatic or cultural one with the latest exhibit on display at the Mexic-Arte Museum.

The Rubén Herrera: Master Artist and Teacher 1888-1933 exhibit features 10 pieces of Herrera’s work, which are on loan from the Museo Rubén Herrera in Saltillo. The exhibit, which debuted May 5 and runs through June 27, is part of the year-long commemoration of the centennial of the Mexican Revolution and bicentennial of Mexican Independence.

Herrera is credited with developing a new generation of artists in Northern Mexico thanks to his founding of the Painting Academy of Saltillo. He studied in Europe for 10 years at various art academies during the time of the Mexican Revolution, and while many in the Mexican art community moved away from classic styles of art, he maintained the style.

The exhibit initially began as a way to commemorate the arrival of delegates from the Mexican city, as Austin and Saltillo are sister cities in the Sister Cities International organization. Little did museum organizers know just how connected Herrera’s work was to Austin. His oldest brother, Benjamin Herrera, emigrated to Austin during the time of the Mexican Revolution and worked as a tailor in the city. His earning helped support family in Mexico, including Rubén while he was studying in Europe. Some of Benjamín’s family still lives in the city today.

Emily Guerra, Mexic-Arte’s graduate research and education assistant, helped create a genealogy chart on the Herrera family, which was included in the exhibit. She said the family tree was developed largely through the help of Delia Sifuentes, an Austin resident who is the niece of Rubén Herrera.

“Someone close to one of our board members just happened to tell the director he was related to the artist, so he provided us with the name of Ms. Sifuentes,” Guerra said. “We got in contact with her and she was willing to help. It really was by chance that we found the connection.”

Guerra said she met with Sifuentes once a week for about five weeks and collected information on the family.

ruben herrera art“Each time she brought us new information, new photographs and records she kept on her own time of her family,” Guerra said. “She also contacted other family members herself to get more information.”

After verifying information with other family members and doing some online research, Guerra said they were able to configure a family tree with more than 300 members spanning eight generations.

“The family had all this information, but they never really had a chance to visually organize it,” she said. “They were all very grateful.”

About 40 of Herrera’s decendents attended the opening reception. According to Guerra, family members flew in from all over the country for the opening. Ultimately, Guerra said the exhibit and genealogy research showed a whole other side of connection between Austin and Mexico. 

“I think once we found out the family connection with the exhibit, the scope of it changed,” she said. “We wanted to play up how the revolution affected families and how it connected to Austin and spread its influence outside of the country.”

Rubén Herrera: Master Artist and Teacher 1888-1933 will be on display until June 27. The collection features paintings, drawings and other artifacts regarding the artist’s life. Mexic-Arte is located at 419 Congress Ave. in Austin.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Indie en Ingles; Monterrey’s Sexy Marvin more like Muse than Maná

April 15, 2010 By Maira Garcia

sexy marvin live

Don’t let Sexy Marvin fool you.

They’re not just another Rock en Español band—not that they have a problem with Rock en Español They just prefer to keep in tune with the Brit-rock bands they grew up listening to and idolizing, including singing in the same language as them.

“We get asked that a lot in Mexico,” says Sexy Marvin lead singer John D. about the band’s preference to sing in English. “Take a band like Phoenix, for example. They’re French, but they sing in English. People still go and support them. It’s a double standard.”

Sexy Mavin hails from Monterrey, Mexico, and made a stop in Austin on March 31 for the Austin Vida showcase at Stubb’s. Despite what their Spanish-spreaking critics might say, the band stays true to their musical roots.

“We had a lot of these influences because we grew up with those ’80s sounds. I’m really into stuff like Depeche Mode, Morrissey and The Cure,” says John D., whose voice is reminiscent of Morrissey.

They mix their ’80s new wave influences with a modern sound reminiscent of bands like The Killers or Muse, whom they have opened for in the past. Thanks to those shows and the Internet, the band has built a buzz in the indie rock scene around the world.

“We have a lot of downloads on the Internet, especially in countries like Japan and Spain,” says synth and keyboard player Elvis. “We knew we were doing something right, so we decided to make an EP.”

The band released their self-titled EP in 2008 and have a new single out.

“We’re promoting our new single ‘Under Control’ right now in Mexico and the U.S. It’s going to be on our new record, which should come out either in May or September,” says John D.

As for the future, the band hopes to hit the road again once their full-length album is complete and tour places like South America, the U.S. and possibly Europe. Their shows aren’t ones to miss either. The band has a commanding stage presence and they always look like they are enjoying playing their music.

“We have a lot of fun on stage no matter where we are,” John D. says. “The crowd is always great because we know they are there to support us.”

The future looks bright for Sexy Marvin. Ultimately, it’s a momentum they hope to keep going.

“A lot of things have come together for the band,” John D. says. “We’ve opened for The Killers, Coldplay and Muse. We didn’t expect to be doing that with those bands.”

All photos by Chantel Clopine.

Filed Under: Events

History museum gives Austin a taste of Latino popular music influence

March 29, 2010 By Maira Garcia

america saborFor decades, Latinos have added sabor to music produced in the U.S. and not just in genres like Tejano or salsa and merengue.

A new exhibit called “American Sabor: Latinos in U.S. Popular Music” at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum showcases just how much Latinos have influenced American genres like blues, jazz, rock, punk, hip-hop and more over the years. The bilingual and highly interactive exhibit was originally curated by the Experience Music Project in Seattle, Wash., and will be on display at the Bob Bullock Museum until May 9.

The exhibit is divided into five sections, each reflecting cities that made major contributions to the Latino music community. Jasen Emmons, director of curatorial affairs for the Experience Music Project, said the idea for the exhibit was initially produced by several professors at the University of Washington with expertise on how Latinos have influenced American music.

“We decided to frame it a little more tightly and looked at music post-World War II and focused on the five major centers for Latino music in the U.S.,” he said, naming San Antonio, San Francisco, Los Angeles, New York City and Miami as those key cities.

Emmons said the challenge with the American Sabor exhibit was finding enough artifacts to showcase. He said it took about eight months to find the various show posters, musical instruments and outfits on display in the exhibit.

“We had to look for small-level collectors and basically started over in each city trying to make contacts to find some of this stuff,” he said. “What happened was people connected us to others who suggested they might have something we could use.”

doug sahm bajo sextoTimothy Dillon, the director of marketing for the Bob Bullock Museum, said they wanted to add more of a regional focus since the exhibit featured a Texas city.

“The smallest portion of the exhibit was the one on San Antonio,” he said. “So we called up several people to ask if they would loan artifacts.”

And they did so successfully. They acquired additional artifacts like an accordion from legendary player Flaco Jimenez, who is one part of the supergroup Texas Tornados, and from up-and-coming artists like Piñata Protest and the all-female alt-rock band Girl in a Coma. Pictured left is the bajo sexto owned by Doug Sahm of Tornados/Sir Douglas Quintet fame.

More than anything, walking through the exhibit is like seeing snippets of history. A timeline on the San Francisco portion of the exhibit illustrated how milestones in music like Santana’s performance at Woodstock coincided with Civil Rights activities.

Not only is the exhibit educational and visually appealing—it envelopes you in music. Sound booths are set up throughout the exhibit where visitors can watch videos, play music and interact with games and instruments. The center of the exhibit even features a dance floor.

“Kids always gravitate toward the dance floor and pick up the instruments,” Dillon said. “You can always hear a lot of sounds coming from this area.”

Admission to the exhibit is included with a regular museum fee, which is $7 for adults, $6 for seniors, military and college students, and $4 for ages 5 to 18. Admission is free for those under 4. The museum is open Monday through Saturday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday noon to 6 p.m.

 

richie valensMUST SEE

• Harmony electric guitar owned by Ritchie Valens, who is pictured left, and the Mexican-inspired vest he wore on American Bandstand in 1958

• Celia Cruz, the “Queen of Salsa,” and her gorgeous gown in the New York section

• The East Los Angeles music sound booth. It gives a musical timeline of music from East L.A. starting with pachuco-inspired jazz to punk to modern rock from the likes of Rage Against the Machine

 

Find out about upcoming American Sabor events for family and for adults.

Filed Under: City & Culture Tagged With: interview

Concert Review: Gilberto Gil at Hogg Auditorium

March 29, 2010 By Maira Garcia

gilberto gil live

Gilberto Gil has never lost his stride musically. The sharp ringing of voice as he hits a high note will tell you just that.

The legendary Brazilian singer-songwriter played his first of  two shows at Hogg Memorial Auditorium on the University of Texas campus Tuesday night.

Gil is best known for pioneering a new style of music called tropicalia in South America, which fused Brazilian samba with rock, folk and bossa nova. A music legend worldwide, Gil is also a political activist in his home country and served as the minister of culture of Brazil from 2003 to 2008.

gilberto gilGil embarked on a 10-city tour recently—which included two Austin dates—titled “The String Concert.” It is an all-acoustic performance and features his son Bem Gil on guitar, as well as cellist Jacques Morelenbaum. The performance is an intimate show that pays tribute to Gil’s music produced over his 40-plus-year career. He mixed hits from his extensive catalog along with a couple of new songs he produced, including one called “Quatro Coisas,” which is a tribute to his wife Flora.

While Gil’s voice isn’t quite what it sounded like in his youth, you can bet he can still hit the high falsetto notes, which are a trademark of his singing. The passion Gil has for his music is evident as he plucked his guitar and shook his head as he belted out lyrics in his native Portuguese.

Gil encouraged audience participation throughout his set, including through songs like “Chiclete Com Banana”  and “Nightingale.” The audience clapped and sang along without hesitation.

Between songs, Gil talked about his songs and their significance and touched on his cultural roots, particularly after playing “La Renaissance Africaine.”

“The contributions of Africa to the development of Central, Southern and North America are profound,” he said, first in Portuguese and then in English.

As simple as the arrangement of his show was, the deep layers of sound added by Morelenbaum’s cello and Bem Gil’s guitar to Gilberto Gil’s scats, coos, whistles and shouts made for a rich experience. It was like Gil was sitting in your living room, playing just for you and telling you the secrets behind his songs.

Photos by Mitchell Ahrens for Austin Vida.

Filed Under: Events

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