Mano-Made: New Expression in Craft by Latino Artists, Consuelo Jimenez Underwood

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Mano-Made: New Expression in Craft by Latino Artists
Consuelo Jimenez Underwood
December 2, 2017 – January 20, 2018
A trio of solo exhibitions by Mexican-Californian craft pioneers
Curated by Emily Zaiden, Craft in America Center Director
(En español a continuación.)

Craft in America will focus on the work of three individual artist: Jaime Guerrero, Gerardo Monterrubio and Consuelo Jimenez Underwood. These artists who use craft to articulate messages about American culture, personal experiences, Latino identity and the ever-mutating socio-political tensions that exist in Los Angeles and California as a whole.

The third and final exhibition will be a site-specific wall installation by acclaimed fiber artist Consuelo Jimenez Underwood, who was featured in Craft in America’s THREADS episode in 2012. Recently known for her series of large-scale depictions of geographic borderlines, Jimenez Underwood instills new meaning into the cartological representation of various border states and American cities. Incorporating various fiber materials, found objects, wire and nails, she creates powerful works of dynamic beauty that spark discussion about the boundaries that define place and identity. Jimenez Underwood’s art consistently reflects her personal tri-cultural perspective and fundamental belief in the interconnectedness of societies.

Jimenez Underwood will create a new borderline that will envelop the Craft in America Center. Selected students from Craft in America’s educational outreach program at Los Angeles public high schools will participate in a hands-on workshop with Jimenez Underwood during the course of her show at the Center. Jimenez Underwood will bring decades of college-level teaching experience to guide the students as they create, in Jimenez Underwood’s words: “an installation celebrating the inclusiveness of Latin American culture, where everyone thrives together.” The project will involve Jimenez Underwood working with the students to create amulet-like spiritual embellishments for her border installation. The ethnic diversity of our partner schools will certainly be reflected in the installation.

This exhibition is part of Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA.

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Digital Catalog:

Image Gallery:

Consuelo Jimenez Underwood, Undocumented Border Tracks — Undocumented Border Tracks, 2017. Paint, pastel, nails, leather barbed wire, caution tape, thread, found beaded necklaces, painted fabric, wood branches, safety pins, wire, beads, and mixed media materials

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Mano-Hecho: Nueva Expresión en Artesanía de Artistas Latinos
Consuelo Jimenez Underwood
Diciembre 2, 2017 – Enero 20, 2018

Un trío de exposiciones de solistas por artistas Mexicanos-Californianos
Organizado por Emily Zaiden, Directora de Craft in America Center

Craft in America se enfocara en los trabajos de tres artistas individuales que utilizan su oficio para articular mensajes de la cultura Americana, experiencias personales, identidad Latino/a, y las tensiones sociopolíticas que existen entre Los Angeles y California en conjunto.

La tercer y ultima exhibición será una instalación de pared de sitio específico por la aclamada artista de textiles Consuelo Jiménez Underwood, quien apareció en un episodio de Craft in America en el 2012 llamado THREADS. Recientemente conocida por su serie de representaciones a gran escala de fronteras gráficas, Jiménez Underwood infunde un nuevo significado en la representación cartológica de diversos estados de la frontera y las ciudades americanas. Mientras incorpora diversos materiales de fibras, objetos encontrados, alambre y clavos, ella crea obras de gran alcance de belleza dinámica que fomentan la discusión sobre los límites que definen el lugar y la identidad. El arte de Jiménez Underwood refleja consistentemente su perspectiva tri-cultural personal y creencia fundamental en la interconexión de las sociedades.

Jiménez Underwood creará una nueva frontera que envolverá el Craft in America Center. Estudiantes de las escuelas secundarias publicas en Los Ángeles serán seleccionados por el programa de extensión educativa del Craft in America Center para participar en un taller práctico con Jiménez Underwood durante el curso de su espectáculo en el centro. Jiménez Underwood traerá décadas de experiencia en la enseñanza a nivel universitario para guiar a los estudiantes mientras crean, en las palabras de Conseulo: “una instalación celebrando la inclusión de la cultura latinoamericana, donde todo el mundo prospera en conjunto.” El proyecto involucrara Jiménez Underwood trabajando con los estudiantes para crear adornos espirituales parecidos a amuletos para su instalación frontera. La diversidad étnica de nuestras escuelas asociadas sin duda se reflejará en la instalación.

Esta exposición es parte de Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA.

Jimenez Underwood’s “Borderline” installation at the Craft in America Center for Mano-Made: New Expression in Craft by Latino Artists is supported in part by the National Association of Latino Arts and Cultures, the Ford Foundation, Southwest Airlines, and the Surdna Foundation through a grant from the NALAC Fund for the Arts. This exhibition will participate in Pacific Standard Time: LA/LA.