ABOUT
Arena Mexico
Demián Flores Cortés
The Artist
Demián Flores Cortés is a Mexican printmaker who is interested in
the symbols of popular culture in his native country, specifically
the importance of wrestling which has a similarly wide fan base in
Mexico as football has in the UK. Like British footballers, Mexican
wrestlers often come from humble origins to become the most
well-known faces in the country. The sport is a dramatic spectacle
as well as an athletic contest and children aspire to be like their
wrestling-ring heroes.
The exhibition
Arena Mexico is an exhibition of a series of prints that
are created by superimposing a variety of printing techniques
 on
top of each other. First an image is etched, and then a wood cut is
superimposed, followed by screen print and collage. The same etched
print is constant throughout the series, slowly losing clarity
through use and saturation; while the additional layers offer
different meanings each time. The resulting images are full of a raw
energy, movement and the staged drama of the wrestling world.
The wrestling matches
Two wrestling matches performed by Mexican wrestlers will take
place during the exhibition's opening week. One match will take
place at Colchester Arts Centre on October 6th and the other at the
University of Essex's Dance Hall on October 8th. The wrestling
matches will be great fun and will provide a 'real' context for
 the
exhibition, which will literally spring to life. The wrestling
matches will be family friendly and widely promoted across Essex.
Films and talks
Talks and films will be timetabled for the duration of the
exhibition. Organised by the University's Mexican Society and on
October 4, 5 and 7, these films will add another way of exploring
Mexican culture. Talks will take place every week in the gallery -
encompassing many areas of Mexican life and culture. An introductory
talk on the wrestling film genre to enrich the film sessions will be
given by Orlando Jiménez, specialist in the field, on October 5th.
The education programme
The education potential for this project is strong. In the same
way as football touches so many people's lives in Britain, wrestling
has a similar wide base audience in Mexico, with a strong moral code
thrown in for good measure - always a hero and a villain. The
wrestling matches will be particularly accessible and engaging. This
exhibition is specifically relevant to History, Art, Drama, Dance
and P.E. It is our intention to have Cross-curricula workshops to
encompass all these subjects.
Teachers Notes will be available, providing background
information on Demian Flores, the part wrestling plays in Mexican
life and printing techniques. After discussion with teachers, talks
and tours of the show will be made relevant to each individual
school party.
Dance workshops, which coincide with productions in the Lakeside
Theatre, will also be available for schools, colleges and community
groups.
Outreach
In addition, an outreach programme is being devised in
partnership with teaching staff from two secondary schools in the
local area. Demián Flores' work will be facilitated by a locally
based print maker who will continue to work with the schools after
Demian has returned to Mexico. This will also be an opportunity for
a Mexican printmaker to mentor a locally based printmaker.
Further information
For further information, contact:
- Jessica Kenny for information on the exhibition
01206 872074, e-mail
kennj@essex.ac.uk
- Clare Birks for information on the education programme
01206 873184, e-mail
ccbirks@essex.ac.uk
|
