Call for Art Entries Virgen de Guadalupe
Submissions Deadline:
5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 4, 2023
Dallas artist and exhibition curator, Jose Vargas, is seeking art entries for the 2023 La Virgen de Guadalupe/Tonantzin art exhibition. The show will be presented at the Latino Cultural Center, a facility of the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture, from Dec. 2, 2023 to Jan. 5, 2024.
The central theme of this exhibition is the Virgin of Guadalupe/Tonantzin, two important and celebrated figures in Latin American religion, art, and culture. Although the symbol of the Virgin of Guadalupe/Tonantzin is tightly connected with the history of Mexico, people from many parts of the world have found themselves attracted to the fascinating story of the dark-skinned indigenous Madonnas.
The feast of the Virgin of Guadalupe is celebrated on Dec. 12th. According to tradition, the Virgin appeared to Juan Diego, a humble peasant, in 1531, on Tepeyac Hill just north of Mexico City, where there was an ancient temple dedicated to Tonantzin, a female Aztec deity connected to the earth and fertility. Tonantzin means Our Sacred Mother in the Nahuatl language. The Virgin of Guadalupe and Tonantzin continue to be associated symbolically in present-day Mexico and Latin America.
The artwork created for this exhibition must depict the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe or Tonantzin, or must be primarily based on thier image. Artists are encouraged to create unique works of art that feature original concepts and ideas, innovative techniques and great imagination.
Due to the nature of the exhibition, art that is deemed offensive will not be considered.
This year will be the first time that this art exhibition will be held at the Latino Cultural Center. In the past, the art show was on display at the Ice House Cultural Center, the Bath House Cultural Center, and the Oak Cliff Cultural Center. Jose Vargas has been organizing and curating this art show since 1992 and is looking forward for this year’s exhibition at the Latino Cultural Center.
Artists are encouraged to contact Mr. Vargas at jvargas898@earthlink.net if they have any questions about their entries. They may also email a quick sketch of their intended design for his review (in the planning or early stages of their work, before the entries deadline) and he will offer feedback about whether or not it will work for the exhibition. Keep in mind, however, that positive feedback for a premilimary design does not constitute acceptance into the show as a final review of completed pieces will still be required.
