July 23, 2018
County and LACMA Collaborate for Artist Workshop and Installation
The Community Development Commission/Housing Authority of the County of Los Angeles (CDC/HACoLA) and Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) partnered to invite Mexican artist Betsabeé Romero to lead a series of printmaking workshops for the residents of the Nueva Maravilla public housing development, located in East Los Angeles.
Romero, whose work is currently on view in A Universal History of Infamy: Those of This America at LACMA’s gallery at Charles White Elementary School in MacArthur Park, taught 45 residents, of all ages, about her artwork, inspiration, and technique. Participants created artwork using repurposed tires that Romero carves with symbols inspired by Ancient American iconography.
Replicating the function of Ancient American cylinders, Romero uses the tire as a tool for printing and capturing memories. In this workshop, Romero invited the residents to print on shawls, or “rebozos,” a symbol of mobilization and migration, and write about how their heritage and experience as a migrant shaped them.
“We are grateful to LACMA and Ms. Romero who provided our residents an outlet to express their creativity, culture, and heritage. Their work will be proudly displayed at Nueva Maravilla,” shared Monique King-Viehland, CDC/HACoLA Executive Director.
Each resident’s artwork will contribute to a larger collective community piece that will be on display in the Nueva Maravilla Main Hall for the next two months.
This project was supported by a grant from The James Irvine Foundation and was presented in conjunction with On-Site: Neighborhood Partnerships with the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Through On-Site, LACMA is creating ways to make its programs and collection accessible to the communities of Los Angeles County with the goal of broadening participation in cultural experiences. By building on existing partnerships, establishing new relationships, and seeking community input, LACMA will endeavor to create educational and shared experiences that resonate with community members. Partnerships and programs with North Hollywood, East Los Angeles, and Compton began in summer 2016.