Words by Josue Ramirez
Words by Josue Ramirez
Trucha and the San Benito Cultural Arts Department (SBCAD) announce the selected proposals for the De La Casa Artists in Residence Program. They include visual artists Monica Lugo and Sam Rawls and performance artists Erica Garza and Vanessa Alvarado of the Frontera Dance Project.
The program offers Rio Grande Valley visual and performance artists the opportunity to create new work from home and receive funding, resources and an exhibition in the fall.
“I am very pleased to be working with Trucha to provide quality programming to the residents of the Rio Grande Valley. One of my goals for the San Benito Cultural Arts Department is to create a collaborative environment that promotes, encourages and shares the deeply talented voices in our community and showcases the narratives of our region,” states Aleida Wedgeworth, director of the Cultural Arts Department at the City of San Benito.
The proposals were brought together by a shared interests in telling a more holistic and nuanced interpretation of femme identity and experiences in the Rio Grande Valley during the Covid 19 Pandemic. This will be explored through Lugo’s and Rawls abstracted concepts that explore color, form, patterns and symbols that combine both artistic styles working into visual unison. Frontera Dance Project’s work will weave community voices to interpret and elevate their experiences through dance theatre.
The artists will showcase their residency time by sharing their process, insight on their work, studio visits and engagement through social media. Lugo and Rawls will share their work in June and Frontera Dance Project will be featured in July. The program will culminate in an exhibition at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum on September 15th that will run through November.
Congratulations to the artists and thanks to all who applied. Stay tuned to learn more about the artists and their work and make sure to see their art as it develops at @truchargv on Instagram and Facebook!