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Contact: Anne Doherty-Stephan, 915-532-7273 x124 Chamizal National Memorial Superintendent F. Gus Sanchez announces the opening of the annual Siglo de Oro Art Exhibition in the Abrazos and Borderland Galleries now through March 30th. This year's contest entries and winners not only showcase several of our talented local El Paso artists but also drew entries from the Dallas-Fort Worth area. "I continue to be impressed by the talent and skill of our local artists. These works of art and the artists who created them represent the diverse, multi-talented cultures and people of our borderlands, part of what we celebrate and commemorate here at Chamizal National Memorial – the spirit of the people and their ancestors who helped to peacefully resolve the century-long boundary dispute caused by the shifting of the Rio Grande," says Superintendent Sanchez. This year's First Place Winner is Hector Bernal and his oil painting, "The Comedians," which portrays a small troupe of actors from the Siglo de Oro period in costume. Mr. Bernal was born in Ciudad Juarez and grew up in a colonia that lacked electricity and running water. His artistic abilities were recognized and encouraged when he was in the third grade. When he was twelve, his family moved to El Paso where Bernal took advantage of the opportunities offered by the city's art museums as well as its public schools and libraries. Although Bernal regards his training as primarily self-taught, he also took some lessons at the Art Academy of El Paso and studied with Ray Lopez Aleman after graduating from Bowie High School in 1968. His artwork is featured on this year's Festival posters and program. A private showing of more of Mr. Bernal's artwork will be scheduled in the Memorial's Los Paisanos Gallery later this year. Second Place was awarded to El Paso native Staphany Garnica. Ms. Garnica's large untitled oil painting features a young actress and actor in a Spanish garden outside a castle, possibly preparing for a performance. Third Place was awarded to Lauren Childs from the Dallas-Fort Worth area for her painting entitled "Pacienza" which features a beautifully colorful but mysteriously masked actor. This painting, her other entry "Los Payasos," and another from her "Masks" series are all featured. Other local artists participating in this year's Siglo de Oro Festival Art Exhibition include Candy Mayer, Irma Hernandez, and Nancy Brown. In addition to oil paintings, other pieces include mixed media collages, which add other levels of depth and dimension to the artwork. Last year's First Place Winner "Golden Age Renaissance" by Rodolfo Razo is also featured. Los Paisanos de El Chamizal sponsored the prizes for this year's contest as well as designed the promotional posters and Festival program which features the First Place artwork. We invite you down to the Memorial on Tuesday, February 25th to meet and help honor these artists as well as the performing artists from Spain and other seven other visual artists of El Paso currently on exhibit in our other galleries. This reception will be held from 4-6 p.m. at Chamizal National Memorial's Cultural Complex, which includes the Visitor Center, Theater, and galleries. The recognition ceremony is scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. in the Theater. Please remember to bring a sweater or light jacket as it may be chilly in the theater. The Main Stage portion of the Festival officially begins on Wednesday, February 26th and runs through Sunday, March 2nd. On Wednesday, Morfeo Teatro from Spain will perform La escuela de los vicos by Francisco de Quevedo at 7 p.m. On Thursday, February, 27th at 7 p.m. Morfeo Teatro will perform La lozana andaluza by Francisco Delicado. On Friday, February 28th at 7 p.m., Cambalache Teatro and Escuela Superior de Arte Dramatico (ESAD) de Murcia from Spain will collaborate to perform De fuera vendra…quien de casa nos echara by Agustin Moreto. On Saturday, March 1st at 7 p.m., Cambalache Teatro and ESAD de Murcia will perform El secreto a voces by Pedro Calderon de la Barca. On Sunday, March 2nd at 5 p.m., Cambalache Teatro and ESAD de Murcia will close the 2014 International Siglo de Oro Drama Festival with a performance of Puro Lope, which features a compilation of some of Lope de Vega's most well-known scenes from a number of his many plays. Festival Ticket Information: Tickets will be FREE this year and available on a first come, first served basis. They will be available beginning 90 minutes prior to curtain each day for that night's performance only; starting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday evenings for 7 p.m. curtain time, and 3:30 p.m. on Sunday for 5 p.m. curtain time. People must be present to receive tickets for that night's performance. We are looking forward to this year's Siglo de Oro Festival and hope you'll join us to enjoy our art exhibits, the public reception on Tuesday, February 25th and then for the Festival itself on February 26-March 2! |
Last updated: February 24, 2015