Continuum: Artists Teaching Artists

McLean Project for the Arts to Open Continuum: Artists Teaching Artists September 16, 2022

Opening Exhibition Reception set for September 22, 2022 at 7pm 

McLean Project for the Arts will open its fall 2022 exhibition, Continuum: Artists Teaching Artists, on September 16, 2022. An invitational exhibition highlighting work by artists who give significant time to teaching, mentoring, and community-building, while continuing to sustain and develop strong and innovative personal bodies of work, Continuum will run September 22 through November 10, 2022, with an Opening Exhibition Reception on September 22, 2022 from 7-9pm. RSVP here (https://tinyurl.com/continuumreception). 

"We are delighted to bring this group together as we celebrate sixty years of exhibitions at MPA,” said MPA Curator and Artistic Director Nancy Sausser. “Each individual featured is both an amazingly accomplished artist and a beloved educator. Continuum honors their important and continuing contributions to our vibrant arts community." 

Continuum includes the work of artists and educators from most of the area colleges and universities, including George Mason University, George Washington University, Georgetown University, Northern Virginia Community College, the University of Maryland, and the Maryland Institute College of Art. Also represented are some non-profit teaching institutes such as the Washington Glass School. All of the participants are as dedicated to their on-going artistic practice as they are to their students, and vice versa. 

Continuum featured artists include: David Carlson, Patrick Craig, Robert Devers, Kate Fitzpatrick, Helen Frederick, Janis Goodman, Rene Gower, Michael Janis, Maria Karametou, Steven Prince, John Ruppert, Foon Sham, Judy Southerland, Tim Tate, Erwin Timmers, Stephanie Williams, Sue Wrbican, and Peter Winant.  

In addition to the September 22 Opening Exhibition Reception, an Artist Talk is planned for Thursday, October 13, 2022. Additional details to follow. 

The Atrium Gallery portion of Continuum will be available for viewing during McLean Community Center operating hours. The Emerson Gallery portion of the exhibit will be open for visitors Tuesdays through Fridays from 1-4pm and Saturdays from 10am – 3pm. Online exhibitions will also be available for viewing at a future date. 

The curious case of John Leguizamo, Fidel Castro, and Latino Horror Vacui in Hollywood

John Leguizamo, the talented Colombian-born actor who once erred about his own ancestry by claiming that he was Puerto Rican on his father's side (I wonder how his Colombian dad feels about that) and once even carried the charade as the Puerto Rican Day Parade Global Ambassador of the Arts, has an issue with the casting of the upcoming Indie film “Alina of Cuba.”

Specifically with the casting of actor James Franco to play the murderous Cuban dictator Fidel Castro Ruz. The not Puerto Rican actor writes in Instagram:

“How is Hollywood excluding us but stealing our narratives as well?” “No more appropriation Hollywood and streamers! Boycott! This F’d up! Plus seriously difficult story to tell without aggrandizement which would b wrong!” “I don’t got a prob with Franco but he ain’t Latino!” 

The "boycott" was quickly joined in by such luminaries as Nicaraguan-American political strategist and commentator Ana Navarro, and the casting made fun of by Carolina A. Miranda, a really good and influential Wyoming-born Los Angeles Times art critic.

Have not heard of anyone of Cuban ancestry complaining... cough... cough...

Background:

Fidel Castro Ruz, known to many Cubans as "La Bestia de Biran", was born in 1926 out of wedlock in Biran, Cuba. He was the son of Ángel Castro y Argiz, an immigrant to Cuba from Galicia, the former ancient Celtic kingdom in the north of Spain, and Lina Ruz González, his Cuban-born maid who was the daughter of immigrants from Spain. 

That's Castro's father to the right and his mother to the left below.

Fun fact: A lot of Galicians left their rugged mountain villages in northern Spain and settled in Cuba in the early 1900s (including both my paternal grandparents). 

So many in fact, that Cubans routinely refer to all Spaniards, regardless of which region of Spain they come from (Andalucia, Castille, Catalonia, etc.) as "gallegos", which I suspect pisses off most non-Galician Spaniards.  

In my experience, Galicians are a very clannish people, have their own language, customs, etc. and in Cuba even their own community centers, separate from others. In Guantanamo, for example, there used to be a Centro Español and a separate Centro Gallego.

Fidel Castro as a child with his two of his four siblings

Back to the tempest of Franco being cast to play Castro in the film and not being of Latino ancestry, however widely and confusing that classification is.

Part of me understands that Leguizamo means well, but as often happens when one is too passionate about a debatable issue, he mixes apples mangoes and oranges when making this argument.  Passion is an unforgivable mistress - witness my own conversion when I complained about a Spaniard (Javier Bardem) being cast to play a Santiaguero (Desi Arnaz) - for all the non-Cubans who have jumped into this Franco boycott: A Santiaguero is someone from Santiago de Cuba, which is where Arnaz's family was from.

But distilled to the simplest fact:

• Latinos don't get enough roles in Hollywood films
• THEREFORE
• ALL, repeat, ALL roles where the subject is Latino, must be cast to a Latino/a actor
• HOWEVER
• Latino/a actors must also be eligible to be cast to play any and other roles regardless of the racial or ethnic background of the role

A great example of the last rule is the recent (and great) casting of Cuban-born actress Ana de Armas to play American icon Marilyn Monroe - as far as I know, neither Leguizamo, or Miranda, or Navarro bitched about that.

Are Leguizamo, Navarro, and Miranda hypocrites? Maybe, but I don't think so.  What I think they are, is a combination of passionate dogma plus misguided (maybe misfired) good intentions... the alleged Leguizamo trying to pass for a boricua episode bothers me -- sort of like when H.G. Carrillo spent years passing as a Cuban.

Here are better Campello rules to achieve the same goal:

• Latinos don't get enough roles in Hollywood films
• THEREFORE
• Hollywood casting must be sensitive that Latino/a actors come from every racial and ethnic background and must be eligible to be cast to play any and all roles regardless of the racial or ethnic background of the role AND should make an effort to increase Latino/a casting.
• HOWEVER
• The casting should go to the best actor for the role.

In this particular case, some points which destroy the Leguizamo effect:

• Alina Fernandez Revuelta, Castro's illegitimate daughter and the subject of the film endorses and likes the casting of Franco to play her father - technically that should be the end of the fucking argument!
• She is also proud that “the project is almost entirely Latino, both in front and behind the camera.” The clueless boycotters should be applauding this film!
• I am shocked as to how much Franco looks like Castro! The only other man who looks more like Castro on this planet is Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau! Cough... cough...

Almost done... now for my own complaining: 

I am having a hard time swallowing an Argentinean actress (Mia Maestro) playing a Cuban woman (she plays Naty Revuelta Clews - Alina's mom - that's Naty to the left).

And Ana Villafañe (she plays Alina): I'm keeping my eye on you! You're only half Cuban! Cough... cough...

Campello out.

Toxic seeds

I hope that the future can handle the seeds planted by the Justice Department in Mar-a-Lago today.

Paid opportunity for artists: revising the Independent Artist Award program

Paid opportunity for artists: revising the Independent Artist Award program.

Deadline: Friday, November 11, 2022

This fall, MSAC is facilitating a public-led revision of the Independent Artist Award (IAA) program, which has recognized achievement by Maryland artists making work independent of institutions or organizations. This revision effort is based on data collected since 2020 from applicants, panelists, and award winners, who have made suggestions on how to improve the IAA program’s service to the public. The next step of this process is to identify a panel of editors who will work with MSAC staff to further refine the suggestions into clear policy recommendations, which will be carefully considered as MSAC further develops the IAA program.

Consider completing an application to serve as an editor in this process. All selected editors will be expected to:

• Become familiar with previously collected data and current MSAC efforts to support artists through the IAA program.
• Work with MSAC staff to consider how to improve the service of the IAA program to Maryland artists in light of other MSAC opportunities, including the Grants for Artists program, set to pilot in winter 2023.
• Participate in at least two virtual meetings discussing the above issues and developing procedure and policy recommendations for further consideration by MSAC staff, council, and Department of Commerce leadership.

What they are looking for:

Maryland artists with backgrounds in a variety of disciplines (e.g., literary, performing, visual, media, and traditional arts, etc.), or who are interested in learning how changes are considered and implemented within MSAC.

IAA winners, applicants, and panelists from the past three years are strongly encouraged to apply.

How to apply:

Click here to log in or create a free account in SmartSimple. You must be registered as an “Independent Artist” to apply to be an editor. 

Under Funding Opportunities, select "Public Call."

Select "Program Editor" from the first drop down option. 

Select “Independent Artist Awards” as the Grant Program from the second drop down option.

Click "Save Draft" at the bottom to populate the application.

Complete the application and click “Submit.”

Editors will receive a minimum of $400 upon completion of assigned tasks, with the possibility of additional compensation if more than two virtual meetings are needed.

This morning: Art Clinic Online

On Saturday, August 6, 10:30 - 11:30am, the ACO hosts DC Digital Printer, Ric Garcia

Art Clinic Online

ZOOM Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84149389951?pwd=QkNqUU1ZMFJ5SXpSU1dFOVFTeXZZZz09

I'm  happy to announce that today's Art Clinic Online meeting is with artist Ric Garcia. 

Ric is a painter and digital printmaker with work that builds on the tradition of pop art and is infused with references to various cultures in America. These references are "a meditation about identity rather than a cultural primer." Ric’s perennial favorite is Latino culture and its consumer branded products.  

Art Clinic Online: Ric Garcia

On Saturday, August 6, 10:30 - 11:30am, the ACO hosts DC Digital Printer, Ric Garcia

Art Clinic Online

ZOOM Link:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84149389951?pwd=QkNqUU1ZMFJ5SXpSU1dFOVFTeXZZZz09

I'm  happy to announce that the next Art Clinic Online meeting is August 6 with artist Ric Garcia. 

Ric is a painter and digital printmaker with work that builds on the tradition of pop art and is infused with references to various cultures in America. These references are "a meditation about identity rather than a cultural primer." Ric’s perennial favorite is Latino culture and its consumer branded products.  

On Saturday, August 6th, 2022, we will welcome Ric Garcia, a well known artist whose work you may have seen in the past, either at the Stone Tower Gallery, and Popcorn gallery, among other locations. Some of his work can also be seen on his website at http://ricgarciastudio.com/ He will tell us about his process of making art and about his career and what inspires him. And there will be time for Q & A so it should be fun! Join us!

A little more about Ric here.

Ric Garcia works and exhibits in the DC metro area. He is a painter and digital printmaker. His work builds on the traditions of pop art and is infused with references to various cultures in America. These references are a meditation about identity rather than a cultural primer. Garcia’s perennial favorite is Latino culture and its consumer branded products.

Garcia thinks of his depictions of these everyday products as still lives, commenting that “ultimately the work is less about representing the product and more about eliciting emotional reactions, introspective questions and celebrating Latino culture.” The cans and packages in his work are based on real products, but the slogans and illustrations on the labels are re-imagined in ways that express and comment on his bi-cultural experiences as a Cuban-American.

His art and work process has been featured in online articles at Artists & Makers Studios and East City Arts. Garcia’s art is in many private and public collections. Most recently his work has been added to the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities Art Bank collection and the Arts and Cultural Heritage Division of The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Prince George’s County, Maryland collection

We look forward to hosting everyone on August 6th and beyond! We have a nice line up of upcoming interviews and topic discussions in the next ACO meetings this month and next. After Ric, Jordan and I will conduct a discussion on papers and substrates for drawing with all kinds of tools. More information on this to come. 

And if you can, don’t forget that the ACO needs your help with donations (small or big ones are all welcome, any amount you can spare) so we can pay a small honorarium to professionals whom we invite for interviews and/or demonstrations. Many thanks in advance for your kindness and generosity!

On Saturday, August 6th, at 10:30am

Link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84149389951?pwd=QkNqUU1ZMFJ5SXpSU1dFOVFTeXZZZz09

Cuban Food?