Young Latino Artists 21: Amexican@

YLA 21: Amexican@
June 18 – August 28, 2016 (Main Gallery)
Guest Curator:  David “Shek” Vega

Opening Reception
Date:  Friday, June 17, 2016
Time:  6:00 – 9:00 PM
Admission:  $10 or FREE for Museum Members
Activity:  Art Button-Making and Changarrito with Hector Carmona Miranda
Antojitos:  Licha’s Cantina
Beverages: Specialty Cocktails
Music:  DJ Chorizo Funk
Parking Option 1:  Enter on Brazos St. (between 3rd and 4th) $5 credit card only.
Parking Option 2:  Enter on 4th St. (next to FedEx) $5-$7 cash only.

Now in its 21st year, the Young Latino Artists (YLA) exhibition has historically provided emerging Latina/o artists with professional-level museum experience and exposure. Guest curated by David “Shek” Vega, YLA 21: Amexican@ focuses on Latina/o artists who grew up as part of the Millennial Generation.

While raised in dominantly Latina/o populated locales, these artists have altered their way of representing traditional Latina/o works as seen from art produced in response to the Chicano Movement of the 1960s-70s. Art from this era focused largely on community, often political in nature, and artists made a concerted effort to reconnect with their Mexican roots.

Art produced by Millennials reflects an inner dialogue; one that resonates with their Latina/o upbringing, nostalgia, the influence of the digital age, and the current cultural climate in the United States. The works on display represent a survey of the Latina/o Millennial Generation’s response to art-making.
Religious iconography poses, vibrant colors, familiar cultural references, issues personal to the artist, and a solid sense of connection to their community are all themes found in the exhibition.
 
“We are Mexican, we are American, we are the creation of Amexican@.”
– David “Shek” Vega, Curator.

About the Curator:

David “Shek” Vega (b. 1981, San Antonio, TX) was raised in the Mexican American working-class neighborhoods of the Southside of San Antonio. Shek is a self-taught artist and has been an active street artist for over 20 years. His artistic style is rooted in the incredible underground art subculture, but has earned its credibility in contemporary gallery culture. He has been commissioned by corporations to produce large-scale murals, but Shek also creates more refined mixed-media pieces, which are highly influenced and informed by graffiti materials and techniques. In 2010, Shek founded Gravelmouth Gallery, San Antonio’s first contemporary gallery that focuses on Street art and/or art that is influenced by street culture. Additionally, Shek founded the group duo Los Otros, who’s large scale murals/public works have awarded them “Best Mural” in a San Antonio public poll in 2014. Shek has recently been featured in Latino Leaders Magazine, and he was named “Future Leader” by Discovery Español.

Featured YLA 21 Artists:

Vanessa Centeno (New Orleans, LA); Justo Cisneros (San Antonio, TX); Essentials Collective (Austin, TX); Hatziel Flores (Dallas, TX); Destiny Mata (New York, NY); James Medrano (San Antonio, TX); Chris Montoya (San Antonio, TX); Jaime “Flan” Munoz (Los Angeles, CA); Zeke Pena (El Paso, TX); Daniela Riojas (San Antonio, TX); and, Larry Servin (San Antonio, TX).