Artists Partner With Traditional Weavers For Traveling Exhibit at Concordia-Chicago

RIVER FOREST, IL — The Ferguson Art Gallery at Concordia University Chicago presents “Chuee–Taxua,” a cultural exchange project exhibiting the collaborative work of indigenous weavers from Mexico and visual artists from around the world.

The show, which runs fromAug. 15 to Sept. 25, is free and open to the public.

The title of the exhibit comes from the Amuzgo language, one of the 62 indigenous languages of Mexico. “Chuee” is the word for the traditional woven blouses worn by women across Mexico, while “Taxua” is the word for chocolate or cacao, which remains important in the traditions and everyday life of the Amuzgo people.

The show features textiles woven in part on a back strap loom by artisans of the Flor de Piña Collective from the state of Guerrero, Mexico. Participating visual artists then used the rest of the textiles to create collaborative pieces, reacting to the colors and patterns of the weavers’ designs. The visual artists each paid a fee to cover the weavings and transportation expenses for exhibition purposes.

An artists’ reception will be held on Sept. 11 from 2-4 p.m., with a talk in the gallery at 3 p.m.Local artists attending will include Roberto Ferreyra, Mark Nelson, Dolores Mercado and Rene Arceo (Chicago coordinator), along with Leopoldo Morales Praxedis, general coordinator for the whole project, and Maria Victoria Valenzuela Lopez, who coordinated the weavers and visual artists in Mexico.

The Ferguson Art Gallery is located in Kretzmann Hall at Concordia University Chicago, 7400 Augusta St., River Forest, IL. The gallery is directed by BettyAnn Mocek, professor of art at CUC and prominent Chicago artist, educator and arts advocate. Gallery hours are Monday throughFriday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, visit CUChicago.edu/experience/arts/visual-arts/ferguson-gallery or call 708-209-3013.

Submitted by Concordia University Chicago.
Images of works by Malena Diaz and Leopoldo Morales Praxedis