• Visual Art & Museums

    Beyond Child's Play

    Beyond Child's Play

    MACLA

    February 1-March 22, 2008

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    MACLA features work by mixed-media artist, Pilar Aguero-Esparza and painter, Juan Carlos Quintana. This two person exhibition features recent stunning paintings and elegant mixed media installations by two of the most compelling mid-career Bay Area artists working today. Their artwork complements one another through layered artistic practices, sensitivity towards materials and shared iconography stemming from the world of children. San Jose-based artist Pilar Agüero-Esparza is considered by local critics and collectors to be one of the most original artists in the South Bay visual arts community. Prolific in both painting and printmaking, several years ago Pilar began to embrace sculpture, mixed media and installation work. Since this time she has continued to hone her three dimensional artwork, that is simultaneously layered and minimalist. Inspired by her daughter, she began collecting her child’s schoolwork to make art. Here, dozens of pages filled with grammar and arithmetic exercises are neatly sewn together to create the large-scale installation, Homework House. The ritual of writing on the page is complemented by the simple geometry that constructs the house, acknowledging the importance of both education and the home. Other work in the exhibition includes an installation made of chapstick-based doll figurines and abstracted felt animal sculptures. Pilar’s work has been exhibited in major institutions in the region, including Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, The Oakland Museum of CA, The San Jose Museum of Art, and Galeria de la Raza. Pilar holds a BA in Art from UC Santa Cruz and recently completed her MFA from San Jose State University. Juan Carlos Quintana was born in Louisiana, of Cuban descent and currently resides in Berkeley, CA. His highly emotive and exquisite artwork is a favorite of those in the Bay Area and beyond. The work in this exhibition stems from a timely series entitled, American Lullabies, which looks at issues surrounding patriotism, war and security. Juan Carlos’ thought provoking paintings and mixed media work, uses children as a metaphor for innocence. The innocence is compromised as the children are placed in environments were war is glorified and commoditized. His large paintings on canvas are filled with images of children frolicking with weapons, nurses attending to dolls, patriotic symbols and natural environments that are filled with destruction and quiet chaos. This exhibition also features a 19.5 foot long painting on tracing paper created especially for MACLA’s gallery.

    • Ticket Info

      Tickets: Free

      Info Phone: 408-998-ARTE

    • Dates & Times

      Dates:
      February 1-March 22, 2008

      Times:
      Artist reception 2/1: 7pm-9pm

      Gallery hours:
      Wed-Thurs: 12pm-7pm
      Fri-Sat: 12pm-5pm

    • Venue Info

      MACLA

      510 South First Street San Jose, CA 95113

      Full map and directions

    • Accessibility Info
      • Wheelchair Access

    • NOTE: We do our best to ensure all information is accurate, however it's a good idea to visit the website or call the venue to verify the information.

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