As part of its Cultural Arts Division programming the City of South Gate presents “Cuídate / Take Care of Yourself,” a juried group exhibition featuring more than 30 visual artists. Viewing hours continue every Saturday in March from 12PM-4PM. A majority of the artists are local to South Gate and from the greater southeast Los Angeles region. “Cuídate / Take Care of Yourself” is the inaugural exhibit at the new South Gate Art Gallery and Museum. In English, “Cuídate” translates to “take care,” and a theme of the show is reflecting on the realities of life during the pandemic.
The exhibition runs through March 26, when there will be a special closing celebration event from 12-4PM. The festivities include a sound bath facilitated by Rob Don Yoga; Weaving Hope, an interactive installation and art activity by Yeu Q Nguyen; free art workshops provided by the SELA Artists Guild, Color Compton, Carlos Gacharna, Latinas Art Foundation and Artspace HP; and local vendors and community resources.
Jurors for the exhibition are prominent individuals in the areas of arts and culture and community outreach:
• Abigail Lopez-Byrd, founder of Color Compton a non-profit to teach local youth the importance of history and the arts in black and brown communities.
• Gabriela Urtiaga, Chief Curator of the Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach, California.
• Ozzie Juarez, a multidisciplinary artist and founder of Tlaloc Studios, an artist studio and exhibition space for the Los Angeles community
During the run of the show, there will be a series of public programs and workshops. One upcoming in March are:
• Photography Workshop with Budding Artists, March 19, 11AM, Ages 3-5 – Advance registration required: www.tinyurl.com/BAPhoto2022
• Closing Celebration event/reception, March 26, 12PM-4PM, all ages
• Weaving Hope, interactive installation, and art activity on finding hope as a community, by Yeu Q Nguyen, March 26, 1pm-4pm (During Closing Celebration), All Ages.
Selected through an open call, the complete list of artists in “Cuídate / Take Care of Yourself” is: Alba Castro, Albert Orozco, Amabelle Aguiluz, Andreina Giron, Angelica Viramontes, Billy Montenegro, Blanca Ibarra, Brenda Trujillo, Brenda Cibrian, Calixto Rodriguez (and students), Carlos Ayon, Catrina Esperanza, Celestina Rodriguez, Cindy “cindita” Macias, Daisy Velasco, Daniela Garcia, David Martinez, Edlin Lopez, Eleazar Martinez, Evelyn Menjivar, Ever Velasquez, Gloria “Glories” Martinez, Israel Lopez, Jacqueline Valenzuela, Joan “Zeta” Zamora, Jo Jimenez, Jynx Prado, Kiara Aileen Machado, Leo Alas & Genna Bloombecker, Leopoldo Peña, Martin Alexander Hernandez, Michael Gallegos, Michael The Khoi Tran, Miguel Rivera, Mike Alonso Alcala, Nicole Fournier, Paloma Montoya
Image: Mike Alcala, “Shelter in Place”
