'Fractions' Exhibit, Reception for Area Artists Set Oct. 21 at TAMIU

On Thursday, October 21, the Laredo community will have the opportunity to meet five young artists and experience their emotional and evocative artwork at an Artists Reception, to be held at Texas A&M International University's Center for the Fine and Performing Arts Gallery from 5:30 to 8 p.m. The artwork will be on display at TAMIU through Thursday, November 11, from 12:30 to 5 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

The show, entitled "Fractions," consists of paintings, sculpture, drawings, video-sound installations and a collaborative performance entitled "New Urban Mass (NUM)." It presents the work of Genevieve Buentello, Dionicio A. Chapa, Eduardo Xavier García, Jorge Javier López, and Kimberly Walton.

Alma Haertlein, assistant professor of art and organizer of the show, explained the goal of the TAMIU Gallery is to expose students to a variety of approaches to art.

"The previous show highlighted traditional approaches of representational art. We wanted our students to see the other extreme, artists working at the extreme edges of art, exploring various media and subject matter that might not be comfortable for the artist or viewer," said Haertlein.

She said what links all five artists is their willingness to experiment and go beyond what they learned in art classes, and an awareness of contemporary art in larger cities such as San Antonio and beyond.

"Some of the artists are dealing with explicit themes of sexuality and gender in a thought-provoking way -- questioning our society's obsession with how we look and what is perceived as 'normal' or 'beautiful,' " explained Haertlein, reminding viewers, "As a university art department we have an obligation to present art that deals with challenging and difficult issues in contemporary art."

Buentello graduated from University of Texas - Austin with a bachelors of fine arts, with a concentration in ceramics. She is currently a graduate student at the UT Austin School of Architecture, studying landscape architecture. She will exhibit ceramic and installation sculpture, as well as paintings.

Chapa will graduate this Fall from Texas State University - San Marcos with a bachelors in art history. He and García will present the performance art piece "NUM" during the opening reception.

García graduated from UT Austin with a bachelors of fine arts, with a concentration in digital art media and installation media. In addition to the collaborative piece with Chapa, he will exhibit three videos.

López studied studio art at Laredo Community College and is a self-taught artist, writer and historian. He will exhibit drawings and paintings.

Walton received her bachelors of fine arts in painting from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina. She will be exhibiting paintings.

For more information about "Fractions," please contact Haertlein at 326.3041, visit offices in the Center for the Fine and Performing Arts, room 208A, or e-mail almah@tamiu.edu.

University office hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.