THE ART OF BROWNSVILLE - COMMENTS

I thought I would put up our most recent ArtsReach program statement so you all can know what's up with the program. Any feedback would be great!

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We are two students from Brownsville, Texas who want to give back to the art community of our hometown. Brownsville’s culture and history is a wellspring of artistic inspiration. As a product of the Mexican American War, the scene of the final battle of the Civil War, and a point of great intercultural interaction, it is the second most historical city in Texas. However, we feel that these rich resources are being neglected in favor of homogenization and commercial growth, not only by outside regions, but also by its own residents. We envision a program that would promote awareness about Brownsville’s history and identity, a culture in constant evolution through the dialogue between Mexico and the United States. Issues like immigration, trade, cultural exchange, economy, and education clamor for attention from Brownsville residents. The recent boom of corporate and suburban development has swelled the pride and economy of Brownsville and its residents. Yet this becomes problematic if this new pride homogenizes understanding of Brownsville as a growing commercial center, and not as a unique reservoir of culture and history. It is the local art community’s opportunity to reignite interest in these issues.

We endeavor to strike a match through a community ArtsReach program. It will involve direct communication with residents using art as a platform for cultural awareness. We are currently coordinating an art exhibition at the local Brownsville Heritage Complex, home to the Brownsville Historical Association and city founder Charles Stillman’s homestead. The opening reception will be held on Saturday May 15th, 2004 and will be open to the public at large. It’s an event titled “Fronteras Cruzadas” (crossed frontiers/borders), to resonate the border art theme of the exhibition. We will involve at most 14 student artists from Brownsville’s seven high schools in this project, working in a variety of media, two-dimensional, three-dimensional, and four-dimensional (video, film, performance). Our artwork will also be exhibited, which will also adhere to the theme of the exhibition. We will also offer two students seminars to be held on April 3rd and May 8th. The first seminar will cover the theme of the exhibition by introducing students to border issues addressed in art, history and literature. We have invited special quest speakers from the Brownsville community to discuss research methods and resources available to the students. The second seminar will be an artist workshop, which will introduce the students to conceptual and hands-on methods of coordinating an exhibition and an introduction to the business of art.