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In her zine Madrecitas, artist Janet Aguirre celebrates the matriarchs in her life. She uses childhood photographs and a short poem to explore how women caregivers unite to create a community for survival, relief and protection in a machista world.
On Feb. 25, Aguirre and Nora Soto, both single parents, turned the idea into a pop-up group exhibition that featured artwork by 22 artists who also serve as their families’ nurturers. Mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles and older siblings joined together at 500x Gallery in Dallas to showcase their works, many of which honored their own mothers, to bring to light the diverse experiences and invisible labor of caregiving.
“I deeply admire and respect the artists that are parents and caregivers. I fell in love with their work and how amazing their craft is,” Aguirre said. “The incredible and creative energy from different perspectives of madrecitas and how inclusivity and the art world can foster a change that includes parents.”
Soto said a Madrecitas exhibition was the first thing on her mind when she became a member of 500x last year after reading Aguirre’s zine.
“I don’t think people realize how many artists in Dallas are parents,” Soto said. “Aside from their 9-to-5 [jobs], aside from raising their children, they’re also creating this beautiful art that just beautifies the community.”
She and Aguirre worked together and invited all the artists who participated in the show. Soto said they did not assign a specific theme for the exhibition. Every piece was a product of the artists as creatives and caretakers, and that was enough. Still, the artists touched on similar themes of motherhood, religion, gender, adolescence, nature and grief through a series of different art forms.
On a squared off-white cloth, Oak Cliff artist BB Velez painted a pink-and-red Hello Kitty bounce house with a police car in flames. The words, “Against all authority … except my mom” were embroidered in Spanish above. Inspired by childhood parties, she said, “You never go against your mom.” Her husband and metal artist Felipe Velez built an interactive display of a train cart on a railroad where attendees were encouraged to “leave their mark” using Mean Streak markers. The piece, titled WHERE YOU GOING WITH YOUR LIFE, symbolizes his dedication to graffiti art.
In her piece Something Sacred, artist Erica Estrada placed a bouquet of red, orange, yellow and gold roses on a spray-painted golden baby stroller. “For me, that was a tribute to any mothers that have lost a child,” she said. “The sacredness of carrying a child, being a mother, there’s a beauty to it.”
By the end of the night, artists and attendees were holding their loved ones, children and mothers close.
Soto said all Madrecitas donations, which would normally go toward the gallery, will instead be going to Genesis Women’s Shelter & Support.
Arts Access is a partnership between The Dallas Morning News and KERA that expands local arts, music and culture coverage through the lens of access and equity.
This community-funded journalism initiative is funded by the Better Together Fund, Carol & Don Glendenning, City of Dallas OAC, Communities Foundation of Texas, The Dallas Foundation, Eugene McDermott Foundation, James & Gayle Halperin Foundation, Jennifer & Peter Altabef and The Meadows Foundation. The News and KERA retain full editorial control of Arts Access’ journalism.
