BPL Partners with Artist Irasema Quezada To Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month
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The Birmingham Public Library celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month with an exhibition by artist Irasema Quezada. Quezada’s installation, Simbolos de Duelo: Expressions of Love Through Mourning, will be on view in the Central Library's newly renovated Lobby Gallery from Friday, September 19, through Friday, December 5.
Simbolos de Duelo: Expressions of Love Through Mourning is a tribute to Quezada’s Mexican grandmother and the strong influence she had on the artist’s life. The exhibition features boxes, paintings, screen prints, and handmade paper, with a significant reliance on the use of textiles. Together, the works make a strong statement about the survival, endurance, and continuity of Mexican culture.
An opening reception for Quezada and her show will take place on Friday, September 26, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. in the Lobby Gallery. Both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.
National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed in the United States from September 15 to October 15. According to the official website, the month acknowledges and honors “the histories, cultures, and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America.”
This exhibition is made possible by a grant awarded to the Friends Foundation of BPL by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.
About the Artist
Quezada was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Her art is motivated by her life experiences, including living as an undocumented immigrant for over 20 years, experiencing the loss of both her siblings, and struggling with mental health issues. She works predominantly with printmaking, specifically relief and letterpress printing, through which she expresses her views on mental health, immigration, and social justice.
Quezada received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, followed by a Master of Fine Arts from The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. She regularly teaches workshops and lectures on her research in book arts, letterpress printing, hand papermaking, and graphic design.
Exhibition Statement
“My work is a constant search for the best way to interpret ideas about myself and the world around me. I take inspiration from personal experiences creating work as an extension of my past, where I come from, and what has shaped me, in this instance, my grandmother. I was born in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, where cultural traditions have been forgotten, combined, and blurred with American culture. Yet, my culture is still strong thanks to my grandmother, mi abuela Concha.
This
installation reflects my thoughts on celebrating my grandmother’s presence and
her impact on my life as well as the void she left in me. This project consists
of multiple works, in a range of different media. My process focuses on
creating compositions centering on mood and emotional response, through imagery
and color. The repetition of steps and collection of multiples is therapeutic
and healing as I contemplate my emotional response. My media includes paper
making, box making, printmaking, with heavy use of textiles as a connection to
my grandmother’s vast knowledge of different crafting techniques.”
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| Irasema Quezada - But I Was Still Grieving, screenprint, dye, fabric, thread |
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| Irasema Quezada - To Wither, handmade paper, linen pulp painting on cotton base sheet |
Written by Margaret Splane, Library Assistant III - Birmingham Public Library
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