SD artists unite once again for Ayotzinapa
By Pablo J. Sáinz
One art exhibit remembering and honoring the 43 students who dissapeared from Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, seven months ago is not enough.
That’s the reason why a San Diego activist is organizing a second art exhibit titled 43+ Artists for Ayotzinapa, a one night only exhibition on Saturday, May 2nd, at 6 p.m. at Border X Brewing, in Barrio Logan, featuring artists from San Diego, Los Angeles, Mexicali, and beyond.
“We are doing a second art show because we have now gone seven months, without evidence, answers, or justice, and are echoing the request of the families to reopen the case and do a proper investigation of the military and federal involvement, and to demand the missing students with life,” said organizer Elena Marques, of the Comité Acción Ayotzinapa.
“As a community of artists, we feel art is our loudest voice and our most powerful form of communication to display our solidarity and empathy with the families of the students, to remind the world that this has not been solved, it has not gone away, and it is only getting harder for them, and most importantly of all, to remind the families that they are never, never alone,” said Marques, who also organized the first Ayotzipana art exhibit in San Diego back in December.
Blanca Nava is the mother of one of the 43 missing students, Jorge Álvarez Nava. She is part of the caravan that has been taking its message across the United States for several weeks now.
Nava said that events like the San Diego art exhibit give her hope, and strength.
“I’m very glad they’re doing this, because it reminds me that there are people out there who care about our children,” said Nava via phone from Las Vegas, where she was continuing the caravan. “It’s been a very tiring trip, but we do this for our children.
We won’t give up, and I’m proud to know that there are people who worry about what is happening in Mexico.”
The exhibit features the work of more than 43 artists. Marques said that an art piece can sometimes be stronger than a march or a protest.
“There is power in art, and power in a community of artists coming together to speak out with one unified voice. It addresses the complexity of issues that are not always visible at the surface,” she said.
Each of the artists received the name of one of the 43 missing students as inspiration for the piece, along with the student’s photo and some information about their background and life.
“As an artist, I feel it’s a responsibility to take advantage of these opportunities to use our art to voice our opinions, support a cause and bring awareness to local and national social issues and injustices,” said David Varela.
For San Diego artist Mario Chacon, the exhibition is an opportunity to express his outrage at what happened to the 43 students.
“As an educator and one who values the power of knowledge as the great social equalizer, I am aghast that student teachers were targeted for annihilation for expressing their right to dissent,” Chacon said. “As an artist who strives to use this sacred gift to humanize, educate, and stimulate critical consciousness I had no hesitation in accepting the invitation to participate in this show. As a father and grandfather of college students I identify with the immense pain suffered by the parents of these heroic individuals whose lives were tragically stolen for no reason.”
Diego Yeyo Aguirre Macedo, an artist working out of Mascota, Jalisco, said that the works of art created for this exhibition will be a reminder of the injustice that happened to the students and their families.
“To participate in this art exhibition is important to keep aware of what is happening and not to just put it aside like the government officials of Mexico,” he said.
Marques echoed Aguirre Macedo’s compromise remembering Ayotzinapa.
To learn more about this and other events in San Diego in favor of the 43 Ayotzinapa students, please write to sandiegopresente@gmail.com if you would like to get in touch.