This Saturday evening will see the opening of P O W E R, a group show at Eastern Projects, which has put on an incredible year of shows in the heart of Chinatown. P O W E R is curated by ceramicists Lizette Hernandez, Dee Alvarado, and photographer Magnolia Velasquez. We had the chance to catch up with the busy curators as they prepared for the opening at Eastern Projects. Each of the curators gathered together to create this intimate art show featuring a wide array of artists currently pushing their boundaries, and they answered the questions below collectively:
“When the opportunity to curate a show at Eastern Projects Gallery fell into our laps, we were both honored and excited about showcasing our works alongside other artists that we admire and believe in.”
L.A. TACO: Can you tell us a little more about the show and how the name “Power” was chosen?
CURATORS: Each of us took time to reflect on our own relationship to our practice and what we found in common amongst all of us, as well as in the works we chose, was that the act of surrendering was a central element in our relationship with our work. When we surrender to the act of creating, we unlock our power to heal ourselves. We view art as ritual and when we create, there is a sense of empowerment that takes place within us. We also cannot deny that the power dynamic within our society is something that we are a part of and that at times inhibits us from recognizing our own power. When we say power we are speaking to the power in each of us to reconnect to our inner truth, despite all the barriers in place striving to keep us from our own self-realization.
L.A. TACO: We noticed a wide variety of artists on the list, was there a certain feeling or thought while choosing the artists?
CURATORS: The artist were all people that we are either inspired by and/or are exemplary of the multi-dimensional feminine/power dynamic we are lifting up in this show. We admire a wide variety of disciplines and have different backgrounds in art. Dee and Lizette are ceramicists and Maggie is a photographer. We all have different tastes and the process of curating consisted of us sharing the works of artists we admire and looking through their works for pieces that stood out to us and exemplified our theme.
L.A. TACO: Every day we witness change that comes in the form of progress or sometimes regression with the continuing emphasis on a power struggle, how do you see this, and does power pose a threat or is the idea of gaining power a shared struggle?
CURATORS: We wanted to uplift that although there’s a constant power struggle that cannot be ignored, it hasn’t kept us from seeing the truth about the importance of surrendering to the unknown, which empowers us to heal ourselves and reach new dimensions in connection with nature and the infinite.
They can’t keep us from recognizing ourselves. Our power. Our ability to shape our own reality by the mastery of our creative power.
