MALAS Student Presents Exhibit on "Street Art of Oaxaca"

November 1, 2012

Molly Nelson, a Master's student in the LAII's Latin American Studies program, has curated an exhibition, "Street Art of Oaxaca: Photos + Narratives from the Streets," in conjunction with University Libraries' Inter-American Studies Program. On Thursday, November 1, 2012, the exhibition opens with a free and public reception from 2:00-3:00 p.m. in the Herzstein Latin American Gallery. Folllowing its opening, the exhibit will remain on display through February 28, 2013. Please see the event flyer for reference.

The exhibit is composed principally of photography shot by Ms. Nelson, with supplementary pieces drawn from University Libraries' digital Asamblea de Artistas Revolucionarios de Oaxaca Pictorial Collection.

In July of 2012 Ms. Nelson traveled to Oaxaca with the goal of learning more about the art within the wider protest culture in the city. In reflecting upon the experience, she observes "the people of Oaxaca are very artistic by nature, and as such use various modes of art to express themselves and to react to society at large. The art in Oaxaca is not just institutional - that is, found solely in museums. The wider cityscape serves as its own large and varied museum. While I was there, I found myself immersed in the ubiquitous street art which decorates many corners in Oaxaca - from the Zócalo to the walls of homes. While not all done in the same style, or even addressing the same theme, these artworks speak to a larger frame of reference in Oaxaca. A constant restlessness stirs beneath the colorful facades and shaded plazas of this southern Mexican city. There is a desire for betterment and improvement for all who live within the city - from children in schools to taxi drivers. Through this exhibit, I hope to show how these pieces of art create bonds: between artist and viewer, between viewer and viewer, and between art and city. These bonds unify the city of Oaxaca, its people, and its visitors in a way that showcases both the beauty of the city and the constant struggle for a life made better for all of the citizens of Oaxaca."

Ms. Nelson earned her B.A. from Bates College and currently pursues her Master's degree at UNM in Latin American Studies with a focus on Colonial Art History of New Spain.