Solo Mujeres

Last weekend I set out to spend an entire day visiting galleries. After several stops at downtown venues that struck me as bad clichés of the pretentious white cube seen in movies and commercials alike, I decided to venture outside of the box. What I found was a warm and inviting space to accompany the powerful, poetic and engaging collection of art by Latin American women from San Francisco in the show “Sólo Mujeres” at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts. A broad range of subjects and emotions are explored and conveyed through the works of 26 participating artists. Sarah Hughes's stirring project “Sexy/Safe” investigates personal and environmental factors that inform how women present themselves publicly. Hughes began interviewing and photographing women in San Francisco and East Bay neighborhoods in 1999, posing questions such as “Do you think about what you're wearing when you walk out the door?” and “When does sexy become trashy?” Equally provocative are Monica Del Bosque's beautifully crafted and intricately designed dollhouse dioramas. “First, Last and Deposit” portrays a cross section of a family's home and business. Downstairs, the sign “Lost Our Lease, Everything Must Go, 40% off” hangs from the ceiling of a flower shop, while upstairs an eviction notice sits at a desk below a newspaper clipping with a headline that reads “The New Rulers of the Universe.” Holly Calica's “Family Series” and Christy Majano's portraits of her mother and grandmother highlight the value of family connections. Meanwhile Josephina Lara and Celia Herrera Rodriguez each use the images of flowers to symbolize sensuality and beauty in their works. “Sólo Mujeres” also includes a film and video series on Thursday evenings at 7:00 p.m. through the end of the exhibition. 

La semana pasada decidí tomar todo un dia visitando galerías de arte. Despues de varias visitas a lugares que me parecieron solamente clichés del pretencioso “cubo blanco” visto en cinema y comerciales, decidi aventurar fuera de este tema. Lo que encontre fue un lugar acogedor que acompaña la poderosa, poetica y atractiva coleccion de arte hecho por Latinas de San Francisco en la expocision "Sólo Mujeres" en el Centro Cultural de la Mision para el Arte Latino (Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts). El proyecto conmovedor de Sarah Hughes investiga los factores personales y ambientales sobre como las mujeres deciden presentarse en publico. La Srta. Hughes empezo a entrevistar y fotografiar mujeres en vecindades de San Francisco y el este de la bahia en 1999, preguntandoles “Cuando sales de tu casa, te preocupas sobre tu forma de vestir?” y “Cuando es que lo “sexy” se vuelve en “infame”?” Igualmente provocadoras son las diorámas de casas de muñecas bellamente e intrincadamente diseñadas por Monica Del Bosque. “Primero, Ultimo y Enganche” representa el hogar y negocio de una familia. En el primer plano sobre una floreria un letrero anuncia “Contrato de arrendamiento perdido, remate, todo se vende, 40% de descuento” mientras en el segundo piso se ve la notificacion de desalojo tapado por un periodico con el anuncio “Los Nuevos Soberanos del Mundo.” “Serie Familiar” por Holly Calica y Christy Majano utiliza retratos de madre y abuela para illuminar el valor de relaciones familiiares. Atraves de flores Josephina Lara y Celia Herrera Rodriguez simbolizan sensualidiad y belleza en su trabajo. “Solo Mujeres” incluye una pelicula y serie de videos todos los Jueves a las 7:00 p.m. durante la exhibicion.

Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts
2868 Mission Street (near 24 th ), San Francisco
Mon. – Sat. 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
(415) 821-1155, (Megan Wilson)