Nothing Insignificant

In the summer of 2006, the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca erupted in violence as peaceful protesters — members of the teachers' union and their supporters — clashed with military and paramilitary forces in a tragic and devastating fight that continues largely unresolved. In the exhibition "Oaxaca: Aquí no pasa nada" ("Oaxaca: Nothing is going on here") a visiting group of contemporary artists from Oaxaca responds to the conflict in powerful, creative, subversive, and poignant ways. The work includes daring short films, photographs and visual images, and a sound installation that makes use of (and pays homage to) audio samples such as public announcements, as heard on the radio during the skirmishes, advising people how to use a gas mask or avoid troubled zones in the city. Contributors include Isabel Rojas, curator of the exhibit's videos; photographer Antonio Turok; and Demián Flores, whose spray-painted designs and stenciled slogans are inspired by the political graffiti found on the city's streets. Tonight they join performance artist Guillermo Gómez-Peña of experimental collective La Pocha Nostra and Chicano theorist Jose Palafox for a conversation on art in times of struggle.

The opening reception for "Oaxaca: Aquí no pasa nada" starts at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 13, and an artist talk starts tonight at 6:30.
Oct. 17-Nov. 3, 2007