By Retta Edling
Public spaces come alive in student and professional artwork at the “Voices of the Street: Expressions of multicultural urban art” exhibit now showing at the Downtown Studio Art Gallery (DTSC).
The show features multicultural urban art, architecture and local artists in paintings and photography. DTSC Art Gallery Coordinator, George Sanchez, planned the multimedia exhibit to highlight the interaction between the art, architecture and people in the city’s public spaces.
Professional Photography students are thrilled at the opportunity to enter their work.
“I am really stoked to be in this show. Art is about the grit in life as well as the refined beauty. People can look at this art and connect because they are familiar with these sights in their city,” said Paul Horton, Professional Photography student.
Rachel Riley is also a photography student who photographs the homeless when she gets the chance. “I am thrilled to be in this show. This is my first one. I am going to invite the guy in the photograph I made to come see it here.”
Students from the Art Department’s Mural class were invited to participate as well. Because of time constraints, the full mural wasn’t ready for the show date, but two of the panels were.
One of them was painted by Tobin Smith, an art student who is still in high school. “I am excited to be a part of this because it is not a student show. I do not intend to be an artist professionally, but I really enjoy it as a hobby and it is great experience for me,” said Smith. His work is one of two mural panels painted for the event.
Regional professional photographer Andres Romero, together with art student and Gallery Assistant Rowena Sabetta, collaborated on a photo essay called “In Sight Out of Mind”, featuring the homeless.
Sabetta said, “Andres and I wanted to create a narrative of the people and places that give the downtown area it’s feel. It is not just about one person, one street or one building, but rather how each relates to the other.”
Liz Montoya also photographed architecture intersecting with the homeless. “I captured this image as quietly as possible so as not to wake the man up. The lighting and composition was just perfect and I had to stop and get it,” she said.
“Voices” runs through April 20th at the Downtown Studio Art Gallery. The gallery is always free and open to the public, Monday through Friday 10:00 a.m. -4:00 p.m.
