ISU hosts Latino Americans Exhibit

Idaho State University is hosting a new art exhibit celebrating Latin American culture and history.

The exhibit is funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association in hopes of educating more people about Latin Americans. All of the work in the exhibit is done by, and is about, Latinos.

Five hundred years of culture and history are celebrated in just a few images, and it’s all for one purpose.

“We really want to highlightthe voices of the strong culture of visual arts within the Latino culture,” said Laura Ahola-Young, an assistant professor of art at Idaho State University.

Ahola-Young says the reason for the whole exhibit is because of a visiting artist they had on campus.

“We had a visiting artist, Consuelo Underwood, from California here last year who gave the artist talk,” Ahola-Young said. “And she was the juror for the show. And so we sent out an art call across the U.S. asking for artists to respond to the theme.”

They definitely got a response. More than 30 artists from around the nation sent in work but only eight were chosen for display. Those selected were from places such as Texas, Tennessee, Arizona, Utah, Wisconsin and Florida. Many of the artists have never had their work featured anywhere in the state of Idaho before.

Underwood was pleased with the art they received and what it all symbolized.

Ahola-Young said what struck Underwood the most was “all the hidden realities within each artist’s work and in what they wanted to present.”

Students at ISU are also enjoying the exhibit.

Costner Cude, a senior, said he loves the exhibit and everything it stands for.

“The show really shows a diversity of fine arts,” Cude said. “It shows that there really isn’t a limit to those concepts and ideas the artists have.”

He also feels it’s a great educational opportunity for students.

Rachel Mayer, a graduate student in fine arts, agrees.

She thinks it’s a good eye-opener for people into a different culture.

“It shows that we can have different types of arts and have different representations and different perspectives and yet it’s all interconnected at the same time,” Mayer said.

“I think it’s a great opportunity to expand our community here in Pocatello.”

“You have these amazing works of art right at your fingertips,” Cude said.

Organizers of the exhibit say it’s a unique opportunity to see artwork like this and they hope the public will take advantage of it while it’s here.

For those interested in seeing it, the exhibit is located in the Transition Gallery in the Pond Student Union building at ISU.

It’s open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. The exhibit runs until Feb. 20.