School is back in session and many people are saying goodbye to summer vacations and settling down for the holidays.
But, that doesn’t mean Georgetown residents have to go far to experience the culture and traditions of a country over a 1,000 miles away. In fact, it’s as simple of stopping by Georgetown Art Center to see their newest exhibit “Oaxacan Gold.”
“The real honor is to be able to bring to light the artisans of the place as well as the culture and traditions of the place,” Greg Davis, photographer, artists and curator of the Oaxacan Gold exhibition, told Hello Georgetown. “I think that being able to bring the world and Oaxaca back to people to engage in is quite a gift to those who choose to come and engage in the work. It’s educational, there’s a spirit in the work as well, and so, people will come and learn about our neighbors.”
Oaxaca, Mexico is located at the southern portion of the country and this current exhibit transports visitors to it’s rich history and tradition through photography and handcrafted folk art by Master Oaxacan artists.
“I started working in Oaxaca in 2018 and ended up working in Oaxaca for four years, going back and forth…creating this work, and I didn’t want it just to be a photography, ‘Greg Davis’ show, I wanted it to be a representation of Oaxaca as best as I could put together.”
From beautiful photographs of people dressed for the annual Dia De Los Muertos celebration, or hands covered in naturally made indigo blue, to festivals, historic structures and more, the exhibit is a sneak peek into a culture filled with meaning and story.
“These are our neighbors,” Davis said. “So, if you can learn more about them and respect what they do, and the knowledge that comes from pre-Hispanic time, some of this work that they do are ideas and traditions that go back way before the Europeans even came to this world. We need to honor that.”
In addition to featuring Davis’ photography, the exhibit also features several other Master Oaxacan artists including:
- Jacobo and Maria Ángeles
- Carlomagno Pedro MartÍnez
- Magdalena Pedro MartÍnez
- Alejandro Vera Guzman
- Taller Manos Que Ven
- El Huizache Studio
“That’s really what this is about,” Davis said. “It really is here to bring light and illuminate the mystical state of Oaxaca, it’s definitely a mixed media cultural exhibit.”
All the works are available for purchase as well, Davis said, with 30% of the proceeds going back to support the Georgetown Art Center.
Oaxcan Gold will be available to view at the Georgetown Art Center until September 24th. The exhibit is free and open to the public. Learn more by clicking here.
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