Media contact: Priscilla L. Hunter, 312.344.7805, priscilla.hunter@colum.edu or Micki Leventhal, 312.344.7383, mleventhal@colum.edu
Chicago, IL, September 2003--Iconos + Hematomas: Design Culture in Post Latin America, a group art exhibition featuring the works of Puerto Rican Pop Illustrator Carlos Aponte and the Mexican Graphic Design Guerrilla Colectivo Hematoma will kick-off Hispanic Heritage events at Columbia College Chicago on Wednesday, October 1 at 6 p.m. at Columbia's C33 Space Gallery, 33 E. Congress. Admission is free and open to the public. Both Aponte and members of Colectivo Hematoma will attend the opening and reception.
The exhibition and reception is the opening celebration of FOCO (Spanish slang for creativity, literally light bulb), a month-long multi-arts festival (Oct. 1-Nov. 7) that showcases Latin and Latin American contemporary pop culture through visual arts, cinema and music.
"Students, staff, faculty and even some members of Columbia's board of trustees have participated in the planning of FOCO," says Ana Maria Soto, director of Latino Cultural Affairs at Columbia and co-organizer of FOCO. "This is the first time we're doing anything on this scale for Hispanic Heritage Month and it will be one of our major cultural initiatives."
Carlos Aponte's contribution to the exhibition is taken from his award winning satirical book "Icons of the Popular Culture of Puerto Rico and Other Stereotypes" in which he pokes fun at the various stereotypes.
Seventeen of Guadalajara, Mexico's most talented graphic artists make up Colectivo Hematoma. The group's large format posters colorfully depict issues related to Latino and post-Latino identity, war, sex, religion, politics and popular culture. Images of Colectivo Hematoma's work can be viewed at www.hematoma.com.mx.
Subterraneo Niu Wave, a program of Mexican and Argentinian underground cinema and a film series on macho identity and homoeroticism in Mexican cinema and an artists' celebration of Dia de los Muertos will take place during the festival.
"Popular culture has the ability to contest stereotypes and to question our notions of identity," says Carmello Esterrich, professor of Cultural Studies at Columbia and co-organizer of FOCO. "It can also perpetuate these stereotypes and intensify prejudices. What we are trying to do is bring these two sides of Latino and Latin American popular culture together to reveal these contradictions, create a dialogue and come away with some fresh ideas."
FOCO culminates on November 2 with a gala benefit and dinner at Rumba. For further information visit www.focofest.com or call Ana Maria Soto at 312.344.7812
Columbia College is the nation's largest visual, performing and media arts college. Located in the heart of Chicago's South Loop, Columbia blends the best of theory and practice in a dynamic and diverse urban environment.