Los Tecuanes de Nueva York
Los Tecuanes De Nueva York
Curator:Odalys Burgoa
Artists: Roy Baizan, Jasmine Espinal, Odalys Burgoa, Catalina Lopez
Gallery: LES Gallery
Dates: April 8th - May 14th 2022
Opening Reception: April 8th, 6-9pm
The Clemente Soto Velez Cultural & Educational Center presents “Los Tecuanes De Nueva York” curated by Odalys Burgoa. This exhibition is set to be at the LES Gallery location available for viewing from April 8th to May 14th. The artwork and archives presented are by photo documentarian Roy Baizan, folkloric dancer and painter Jasmine Espinal, Curator and multidisciplinary artist Odalys Burgoa and artist Catalina Lopez. “Los Tecuanes de Nueva York” is an exhibition of the inter-generational preservation of a traditional Mixteco dance from Mexico. Believed to be first documented in Acatlán, Puebla in 1890 this dance is about the unity of families who defend their land. In many regions of Mexico and even Central and South America there are similar stories and dances about the protection of land, battle between good and evil and many references of the Jaguar (Tecuani), the devil and witches. Today, this dance is preserved by “Millenials”, “Generation Z” and the migrated families who brought this tradition with them. Referencing documentary photography by Roy Baizan, family archives from Catalina Lopez and artwork from Jasmine Espinal and Odalys Burgoa, the exhibit will present different timelines of Tecuane dance groups from the early 2000’s to today.
The Artists:
Odalys Burgoa (She/He/They) is a Mexican multidisciplinary artist with a focus in painting and photography and a curator focusing on international storytelling. They are gender fluid, Gemini and a Storyteller from the Bronx, New York. Their paintings focus on personal experiences and identity while their digital portraits are centered on the celebration of the queer community. They are a photographer that focuses on different forms of connections and the conservation of tradition. They steward Anthony Ave Community garden (Bronx Land Trust) with the mission to create an accessible and welcoming green space for all and to build, heal and celebrate the Bronx. Their art has been exhibited through Chashama, The Point, One Art Space, ICP (International Center of Photography) and Bronx Art Space. They are a BRIO (Bronx Recognizes it’s Own) award recipient for 2021 and a New York City Artist Grant Recipient.
Jasmine Espinal (Pinturas) is a visual artist, arts educator and Mixtec dancer from Sunset Park, Brooklyn whose work focuses on the topics of self identity, culture, politics, and mental illness. In 2018 Jasmine earned her BFA in Fine Arts from The Fashion Institute of Technology. Shortly after earning her degree, she completed a mural titled “El Sol de Sunset'' with the help from local youth and funding from the Citizens Committee for New York City. Her work has been exhibited in various spaces such as El Barrio’s Artspace, The Museum at FIT, and La Bodega Gallery. In her leisure time, Jasmine is a cultural advocate who is part of a Mixtec Indigenous dance group named Tecuanes Quetzalcoatl. Currently she works with preschoolers using recycled and repurposed materials.
Roy Baizan is a Chicanx documentary photographer and arts educator from the Bronx whose work focuses on community, environment, and identity. Shortly after graduating from the International Center of Photography’s Teen Programming they became a teaching assistant. This would put them on a path to become an educator focusing on empowering the city's youth through visual storytelling and community service. They have since worked for The Bronx Documentary Center, The Point, The Bronx River Art Center, and ICP continuing to pass forward the opportunities that were awarded to them and creating safe, supportive learning spaces for social change. In 2018 they graduated from the Visual Journalism and Documentary Practice Program at ICP with the support of the Wall Street Journal Scholarship and Board of Directors Scholarship. Recently Photoville has featured them as an artist to watch in 2020. Their work has been published in The New York Times, America Magazine, The Intercept, Remezcla, and HBO Latino among many others. In 2021 they were awarded the Enfoco Fellowship as well as The Magnum Foundations Photography and Social Justice Fellowship.
Catalina Lopez is a Mexican Bronx based artist and children's educator. She is a school-aide at a public school in The Bronx overseeing the presentation of artwork by the students and the main support for the art instructor. She supports existing curriculums with art projects highlighting identity and home. During the mandated online education shut down she provided her students with art activities and facilitated translation services between parents and teachers. This will be her first presentation of her family archive collection of Tecuanes.
Documentation of performance by Alondra Rangel