Ambos Lados International Print Exchange: Fusion Article

AMBOS LADOS INTERNATIONAL PRINT EXCHANGE

ambosladosinternationalprintexchange.blogspot.com

tinyurl.com/ambosprints

Not the last supper in Oaxaca --

Nidia Rosales (upper left),

with Manuel Guerra of "Horned Toad Prints" of El Paso (white shirt)

with Adrian Aguirre and Beatriz Rivas of "Taller Grafica Libre" of Oaxaca

Art war between Oaxaca and El Paso? Rather something more of a huge international cooperation transpired, as "Horned Toad Prints" of El Paso, teamed up with "Taller Grafica Libre" in Zaachila, Oaxaca, to solicit prints from 158 artists. The submissions are pretty evenly divided from both sides of the Mexican border -- as reflected in the title "Ambos Lados" (both sides) -- but also include a few entries from Cuba, Canada, Ireland and Australia, making it a true "international" art undertaking. Each participant delivered an edition of 12 prints (on 8 x 8 inch paper), and received 10 prints from different artists, which is typical for a "print exchange." Two sets of prints will travel in exhibitions throughout Mexico and the United States. By reaching across the the border from El Paso, and vice-versa from Oaxaca, the two studios hope to make something greater than the two halves, through the "Ambos Lados International Print Exchange."

As Oaxaca is a Mecca of contemporary printmaking, it is a huge privilege to travel down there and interact with the young artists and art collectives, such as with "Taller Grafica Libre," run by Adrian Aguirre and Beatriz Rivas. In 2015 Francisco Delgado of El Paso had the good fortune to create a large print for the "Desert Triangle Print Carpeta" at "Taller Grafica Libre," when that studio first emerged in the city of Oaxaca. Since then Adrian and Beatriz have moved their studio to Zaachila, a small village outside the city of Oaxaca. And it is in Zaachila that Manuel Guerra, of "Horned Toad Prints" of El Paso (and professor at UTEP), visited their studio, and there they hatched the idea of doing something bigger together. Perhaps this print exchange can spawn even more artistic cooperation between Oaxaca and El Paso.

As there was no theme, and the exchange was open to anyone, a great variety of expressions and techniques resulted -- from lithograph to wood engraving, from etching to collagraph. While prints came in from all over the country, there was a strong showing from artists in El Paso: such as Raul Monarrez, Christin Apodaca, Angel Cabrales, Diane Vera, Victor Muheddine, and Cynthia Evans. Prints from Oaxaca come from collectives like "Los Tlacolulocos," "Taller Grafica Ojos Tres," "Taller Estudio Yucucasa." Other Mexican prints came from "Taller La Catrina" in Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, "3 Gatos Press" of Guanajuato, "Taller de Grabado El Ajolote" of Mexico City, and "Museo Taller Erasto Cortés" of Puebla.

This collection debuts at the big SGCI print conference in the Dallas area, March 6 - 9, 2019, but will also show around Mexico, and in other US locations later this year. The El Paso print community is making waves beyond Mountain Time!

PRINT IS NOT DEAD!