| SAINTS & SINNERS XVII, The Folk Tree's annual Easter season exhibition, is on view
February 28 - April 10, 2004. Old and new Latin American (largely Mexican) religious folk art
and artifacts are displayed alongside a wide variety of works by area artists in other media
that depict themes related to Easter, and more generally deal with issues concerning "the
sacred and the profane." The public is invited to a reception on Saturday, February 28,
from 2 - 6 P.M. Easter is the most important holiday of the festival calendar for many Mexican Catholics. The abundance of Easter and Lenten season rituals, including processions, dances, and other observances are evidence of its significance. Some of the works in SAINTS & SINNERS include: large processional pieces from Oaxaca (calendas) depicting religious symbols or figures and made of tiny multi-colored "everlsting flowers;" a variety of retablos (late nineteenth and twentieth century religious paintings on tin or wood); santos (polychrome wooden carvings of saints); milagros (miracle offerings) and mixed media portable home shrines. Through these small wooden boxes, in which paper, plastic or wax flowers are combined with colored foil and wooden carvings of Christ or other religious figures, anonymous artists make very personal statements about the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. Many local artists are represented, working in a variety of media such as painting, found objects, printmaking, wood, clay and more. Folk Tree general manager Kathi Oshima explains, "We intend to create a church-like environment in the SAINTS & SINNERS installation, which will serve as a backdrop for a variety of religious and devotional objects." |
|
 |
|
| The Folk Tree is located at 217 South Fair Oaks Avenue
(just fifteen minutes from downtown Los Angeles off the end of the
110 freeway). The Folk Tree Collection is a few doors north at 199
South Fair Oaks Avenue. Hours are: M-W, 11-6; Th-Sat, 10-6; Sun, 12-5. For more information, contact Kathi Oshima at The Folk Tree at 626/795-8733, or Gail Mishkin at The Folk Tree Collection at 626/793-4828. |
|
