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Nexo Entre Raíces / Nexus Between Roots

KENT, Ohio – The School of Art Collection and Galleries at 5X���� are pleased to announce a new exhibit “Nexo Entre Raíces / Nexus Between Roots” which will be on display January 27 – March 18, 2023, at the KSU Downtown Gallery, located at 141 East Main Street in Kent, Ohio with a featured Artist Talk: March 3, 12-1 p.m. (CVA 165) and a reception in the KSU Downtown Gallery on March 3, 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

The work in this exhibition was organized and collected by El Paso, Texas based artist Marco Sanchez. It features over 30 works made with a variety of print making techniques focused on the continuity of Mexican culture through the links between Mexican artists and those who identify as Mexican and live abroad.

“The stories, colors, traditions, and culture of Mexico are heard, felt, and practiced throughout the world. Without a doubt, the main spectator and of these cultural treasures outside of Mexico is the United States. Of the more than 62 million Latin people in the United States, roughly 37 million are of Mexican descent…. Nexo Entre Raíces serves as a collection of works in which each artist responds to the passage of time. We question and respond to the call of our roots for the continuity of traditions regardless of time and space. What responsibility do we have when paying homage to our familial and ancestral lineage? For those who have emigrated from our home country, how do we pursue the continuance of the link between its people, its lands, and its roots?  The heart seemingly functions as a seed to later be planted anew in order to avoid complete assimilation, in the form of rooted manifestations of cultural persistence.” – Marco Sanchez

About Marco Sanchez: born in Ciudad Juarez, 1983, he is a visual artist based out in El Paso, Texas, he received his B.F.A. from the University of Texas El Paso with a double concentration in Painting and Printmaking. Sanchez received his MFA in Printmaking from the Edinboro University of Pennsylvania in May of 2020.  He has worked primarily in the Southwestern United States, he has also participated in residencies throughout Mexico, including Mexico City, Michoacán, Oaxaca, Queretaro and in Cleveland at Zygote Press where he also acts as juror for BIPOC fellowship applicants.

Marco Sánchez is a visual artists whose practice is primarily conducted via printmaking, he’s also versed at oil painting, drawing, wood working and mixed media. His studio investigations have ranged from his relationship with his mentors and peers alike, to his cultural background, folklore, blue collar laborers. Currently he is on two series that depict various cultural phenomenon, first of which is a dance series highlighting the importance to precolonial groups of people through México and Mesoamerica.      

Sánchez currently serves as a Lecturer Professor at El Paso Community College where he teaches Printmaking, Life Drawing, Drawing I and Art Appreciation. He is currently a Mellow Foundation Fellow in partnership with UTEP and EPCC. He has also worked as a contract Art Preparator for the El Paso Museum of History, The Rubin Center at UTEP and as a Teaching Artists of Printmaking at the El Paso Museum of Art. This year Sánchez attended Gonzaga University as a visiting artist, he was part of a the 10^th anniversary of Grabadolandia and gave a panel lecture at the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. Sánchez also formed part of the 26th Emerging Latin Artist exhibition at Mexic-Arte in Austin and exhibited his work during the biennial Mid American Print Council conference in Akron and Kent Ohio, where he exhibited with artists like Enrique Chagoya, Carlos Barberena, Miguel Aragon, Juana Hernandez and The Guerrilla Girls.

•This exhibit is presented with support from the Ohio Arts Council.

Gallery Hours: Monday - Friday 10:00 am - 6:00 pm, Saturday 10:00 am - 4:00 pm, Closed on Sundays.

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