Video and music by Daniel Foster Smith.
Craft Lake City, The Center for the Living City and the Temporary Museum of Permanent Change are pleased to announce a new Celebration of the Hand exhibition showcasing the work of local makers from the Nopalera Artist Collective. On view from June-September 2018, the exhibition will feature eight different pieces by eight different artists from eight different homelands. The public is invited to join Nopalera Artist Collective for free exhibition walks inspired by Jane Jacobs on Friday, June 15 at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm.
Informed by activist Jane Jacobs’ fascination with self-organized urbanism, Celebration of the Hand is a seasonal outdoor exhibition designed to enhance and reflect Salt Lake City’s cultural district through the work of Utah-based artists. Celebration of the Hand is displayed in large frames adjacent to the sidewalks along Broadway (300 South) between 200 West and West Temple, and is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week free of charge.
The newly-formed Nopalera Artist Collective describes their group of creatives as “brown, black, indigenous, migrant artists in Salt Lake City, whose work relates to culture, resistance and the resilience of our people.” The collective aims to amplify the experiences of their members’ communities and empower artists to become self-sustaining.
The summer 2018 installation of Celebration of the Hand will include work by eight artists from Nopalera Artist Collective with roots in Central or South America: Andrew Alba, Jorge Arellano, Paula Bravo, Itza Hernandez, Nestor Jimenez, Jazmine Martinez, Ella Mendoza and Lola Reyes. Each artist will create a large work inspired by themes of diversity and the representation of Salt Lake City’s many cultures. Nopalera, or cacti, will be depicted in each piece, serving as a visual connector and a reminder of the collective’s ability to thrive in the face of harsh conditions and adversity.
Related Programming: Exhibition Tours and Jane Jacobs Walks
Friday, June 15 at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm
The public is invited to join Craft Lake City, the Center for the Living City and Nopalera Artist Collective for free exhibition walks inspired by Jane Jacobs on Friday, June 15 at 6pm, 7pm and 8pm. Led by local artist, humanities scholar, and UMFA director of education and engagement Jorge Rojas, the interactive walks will provide participants the opportunity to examine each work on view, sharing ideas and asking questions, while meeting the featured artists and learning more about the Nopalera Artist Collective. A representative from Center for the Living City will also guide an informal discussion about Jane Jacobs and the many ways artists and residents respond to the complexities of the city we call home. Participants will meet on the southeast corner of Broadway and West Temple in downtown Salt Lake City.
This program has received funding from Utah Humanities. Utah Humanities empowers Utahns to improve their communities through active engagement in the humanities.
