The Latin American Prints

I went to take a glimpse at UW-Whitewater's Crossman Gallery's Latin American Prints last Wednesday, September 20, 2006. There were numerous etching artists such as: Nicolas de Jesus, Alejandro Perez Cruz, Alfredo Zalce, and Paco Patlan. Other etching and aquatint artists included: Irma Palacios, Esperanza Gama, Rocio Caballero, Gabriel Macotela, and Carmen Bordes. Also a mezzotint and etching artists was Rudolfo Abularach. There were also some intaglio artists such as: Esperanza Gama, Nicolas de Jesus, Jose Luis Cuevas, Hector Duarte, Juan Carlos Macias, Ignacio Vera Ponce, and Jesus Ramos. Some color intaglio and print on paper artists include: Tomas Bringas, Emilio Said, Luis Valsoto, and Alfonso Lopez Monreal. Another type of artwork is the print: monoprint, unique print process, linoleum block print, color intaglio print, relief print, linoblock print, and mixed media print. Artists of this kind of work include: Leopoldo Praxedis, Alejandro Romero, Oscar Romero, Luis Fernando Uribe, Luis Valsoto, Gabriel Villa, Hector Duarte, Tomas Bringas, Miserain Cardenas, and Carlos Cortez. The final types within this particular presentation were the color serigraphs and color lithographs; artists include: Alejandro Romero, Soruco, and Robert Ferreyria.

The one piece, however, that spoke to me the most was Abril, 2002 by Gabriel Villa. This relief, linoleum block print was of a baby within a woman's pelvis bone. The texture of this particular print was real, yet soft. Its focal area was the baby tucked inside the woman's pelvis bone, surrounded by darkness. This print spoke to me, because it reminded me of what the baby probably looks like inside the mother, before it's born. Of course, it isn't actually tucked inside the mother's pelvis bone, but it is located in that region in a pool of muscles, fat, bodily fluids, and organs. The color hues consisted of shades of beige, white, black, gray, and brown. Its line and edges were smooth and flowed beautifully. I like this print a lot, because something about it spoke to me, and its design is etched into my mind, and I don't think I'll ever be able to forget it.