Mt. SAC’s Photography Program has put on “Recuerdos De Ti”, a photography based exhibition to help celebrate and connect Hispanic culture and identity, which runs through Nov. 14 in building 13, room 1410.
Featuring student submitted work hosted in the open gallery space, this exhibition helps to celebrate the end of Hispanic heritage month and Dia De Los Muertos for students and staff alike.
“I’ve had a lot of loss recently in my family and in my life. So I kind of wanted to take the opportunity to learn more about the tradition of Day of the Dead and what it really means,” said Gabbie Salvatierra, one of the photography department professional experts who led the development of the show.
With work from students that includes black and white darkroom prints, color inkjet prints, black and white inkjet prints and fabric work, the show explores loss, love and family.
“I wanted to reach out to the community as a whole that way we could see what their interpretation of [those themes] would be,” Salvatierra said.
Between having homemade snacks and a larger than expected turnout, the show opening on Oct. 15 went “really well” and “was really cathartic in a way because Carmen and Alex (two other Photography Program employees) both helped me,” Salvatierra said.
The exhibition also features a memory wall that invites viewers to be active participants in the show. Located on the south facing wall, viewers are asked to share a favorite memory they have with a loved one.
To help further the authenticity of the show, “I like hand cut all of the papel picado, the banner hanging up in there, myself … So I felt like that really brought me closer to my identity as a Hispanic woman.” On top of that, “Carmen made the cempasúchil by hand. So it felt really nice to make that stuff by hand and see it come together instead of buying it at a store, which would have been easy. But that’s the art.” said Salvatierra
Alex Martinez , a student assistant with the photography department whose work is featured in the show said “as part of someone in this program and being a part of the culture that is being celebrated, I feel like the work that I put in myself was very close to me. I felt like I was personally seen and celebrated … Putting something that is a piece of my history was a great way to celebrate art history and celebrate my culture and my family.”
Salvatierra wanted people to know that “even though this was based off a Mexican/Latin American tradition, everyone was about to participate if they had an interpretation … Everyone is welcome and it’s important to agave and build a community in whatever capacity it is.”
“Recuerdos De Ti” runs through Nov. 14, and the viewing hours are subject to building 13’s open hours, which are typically 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
