Latino artists from the Omaha metro area will close their art side-by-side in a one-of-a-kind exhibit at the Bancroft Street Market Gallery this Friday, Oct. 2, from 6-8 p.m. The closing reception in the gallery at 2702 S. 10th St., will feature poetry readings and an open mic.
The juried exhibit, Latino/Latin American Artists: Exhibitions & Conversations, which is free and open to the public, is the result of a partnership between the University of Nebraska at Omaha’s (UNO) Office of Latino/Latin American Studies (OLLAS), UNO art students, graduates and faculty; and community leaders.
Local artist Mike Giron served as the juror for the exhibit, choosing 56 entries from more than 120 submissions. Works include drawings, prints, paintings, photography, 3D art, mixed media and more.
The goal of the exhibit was designed not only to showcase the work of local artists, but also use the artwork as a basis for bilingual conversations between citizens across the city.
“We expect to learn about and discover artists and artistic expressions not yet known in our community,” explained Gerardo Vazquez, a UNO graduate who helped coordinate the exhibit with UNO art students like Hugo Zamorano.
“It is important to nurture the arts in your community, whether it is by encouraging your own child or being involved yourself in the arts,” Zamorano added.
Latino Artists was funded in part with help from the Nebraska Arts Council and Humanities Nebraska.