The Webb County Heritage Foundation and Daphne Art Foundation invite the community to experience the artwork of noted printmaker Juan de Dios Mora in a solo exhibition entitled “Ay Los Miro en el Other Side” (See You All on the Other Side).
The opening reception will be held on Thursday, March 9 from 6-8 p.m. at the Villa Antigua® Border Heritage Museum, 810 Zaragoza St. Join the artist for a presentation at 6:30 p.m. This is a free event open to all.
“Ay Los Miro en el Other Side” includes original prints from four of Mora’s print series curated by Maritza Bautista, Daphne Art Foundation’s executive director. Mora creates narratives of Mexican-American communities, conceptualized through his personal experiences and characteristics central to his heritage.
The artist was born in Yahualica, Mexico in 1984. When he was 13 years old, his family immigrated to Laredo. His experiences living along the U.S.-Mexico border provided an awakening of social and political concepts that have heavily influenced his artistic, aesthetic, and conceptual ideas.
Mora’s art captures experiences of survivalism and characteristics unique to those who identify as Mexican-American, portraying the plight of one’s complex existence as an immigrant in another country – a sentiment shared by many in the South Texas community.
Using linocut printing as his medium, Mora creates scenes and characters that are often layered with significance. Most of his masterpieces commend the ingenuity of immigrants – depicting valor and determination to succeed, while others pay tribute to the spiritually-charged nature of Mexican-American culture.
After graduating from Martin High School, Mora moved to San Antonio. There, he earned two Bachelors of Fine Arts degrees – one in Painting and another in Art History and Art Criticism. He then earned a Master of Fine Arts degree specializing in Printmaking. Today, he is Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio where he obtained all of his degrees.
Mora’s artwork has been included in exhibitions across the United States, Mexico, and Japan. Five of his prints were recently acquired by the Smithsonian American Art Museum. This year, Mora will exhibit in the collective exhibitions Nexo Entre Raíces at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Soy de Tejas at the Centro de Artes in San Antonio, and Many Wests: Artists Shape an American Idea at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts in Salt Lake City. Mora’s work is in the collections of Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art in Oregon; University of Hawaii at Hilo; and the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, to name a few.
Both Webb County Heritage Foundation (WCHF) and Daphne Art Foundation (Daphne) are nonprofit organizations dedicated to upholding the culture of Laredo. The WCHF promotes heritage education, historic preservation, and heritage tourism. Daphne Foundation is focused on the arts – supporting and promoting the creation, presentation, study, and appreciation of the visual, performing, and media arts by partnering with regional, national, and international artists and organizations. In close collaboration, these organizations have partnered to celebrate the artist’s work for the rich cultural heritage present in his idiosyncratic creations.
Ay Los Miro en el Other Side will be on view at the Villa Antigua Border Heritage Museum from March 9 until April 28, 2023.
For more information about this event, please visit daphneart.org or webbheritage.org. Follow them on social media for the latest updates.
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