RICK CASTRO PHOTOGRAPHY

ANTEBELLUM GALLERY

presents

DIA DE LOS MUERTOS

i EROTICA !

Featuring artists

RAYMOND SANDOVAL

GUADALUPE POSADA

TOXTLE

MAURO YRIGOYEN FAJARDO

JACK MILLETTE MOSHER

JUAN MARTIN DEL CAMPO JR

AJ EPSTEIN

DAVID G. CROCKER

UGLY SHYLA

and many more!

Dia De Los Muertos (Day of The Dead) is a traditional Mexican holiday which celebrates and honors the dead through colorful expression in art, costumes, music, food, dance & drink ...an important annual event culminating in "una fiesta en el cematario" (a party in the cemetery).

Among the cultures of Mexico - where the tradition originated - this observance has ancient Aztec and Mesoamerican roots and is a national holiday. The Day of the Dead is also celebrated to a lesser extent in other Latin American countries; for example, it is a public holiday in Brazil -where many celebrate by visiting cemeteries and churches. This holiday is also observed in the Philippines. Observance of this ancient tradition has spread to Mexican-American communities in the United States as well. Similarly themed celebrations also appear in some Asian and African cultures.

Though the subject matter may be considered morbid from the perspective of mainstream Anglo-American culture, Latin celebrants typically approach the Day of the Dead joyfully. Though this festival occurs at the same time as Halloween, All Saints' Day, and All Souls Day the traditional mood is much brighter in tone with an emphasis on celebrating and honoring the lives of the deceased together with celebrating the continuation of life in a different form or realm. The core belief is not that death is an absolute end and personal extinction but that death instead marks the beginning of a new stage of spiritual growth.

Curator RICK CASTRO will present this first-ever art exhibit featuring erotic interpretations of Dia De Los Muertos. Castro is reaching out beyond the Latino community, inviting artists of all backgrounds, nationalities and faiths to share their interpretations of this predominately Latin tradition.

It is Castro´s hope that by presenting Dia De Los Muertos, one of the few Latin traditions not completely veiled in religious dogma, and opening this tradition up to all nationalities, faiths and sexual persuasions the exhibit will begin to bridge gaps of alienation and fear regarding these mysterious core aspects of life - sexuality and death - which some religions have stigmatized, exploited, or viewed very differently for thousands of years.

Life, sexuality, death, and spirituality are all entwined in an erotic mutual embrace of celebration at?Antebellum Gallery's "Dia De Los Muertos~Erotica" exhibition. Please do join us!

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WHEN?

November 2nd, 2007

opening reception- 7pm, thru December 15th, 2007

WHERE?

Antebellum Gallery

1643 N. Las Palmas Ave, Hollywood, CA 90028, 323 856-0667,

www.antebellum.us.ms

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TOXTLE was born in Mexico City and raised in California.

Toxtle has always pursued his artistic interest in Music, Film, and Fine Art. He began oil painting studying the fundamentals under Robert Kingston.

Toxtle says, "though Dia De Los Muertos theme is death, it is meant to celebrate life. This painting explores sex, life, and death."

Toxtle is currently working as a Tattoo Artist at California Tattoo.

Toxtle ~ untitled ~ 30"x40" ~ oil on canvas ~ 2007

GUADALUPE POSADA is a 26-year-old artist and crafter living in Fresno, CA.

Guadalupe studied with Reedley College at Kingston University, London.

Guadalupe says, "I've been drawing for as long as I can remember. I work mainly with graphite pencil, acrylic paints and mixed medium. Art expresses ones true self and allows me to channel my emotions in a healthy way. I'm interested in Mexican Folk Art and art relating to Religious icons. I'm inspired by real life, people and places, I feel I must capture that immediately. My favorite artists include Frida Kahlo, Salvador Dali, Georgia O'Keefe, Pablo Picasso and Mark Ryden. Relationships and love are connected to my work, reactions to break-ups and other aspects of said relationships.

"My art is about destruction, heartbreak, reinvention and Love."

Guadalupe Posada ~ husband & wife ~ acrylic on canvas ~ 2007

RAYMOND SANDOVAL lives in Jemez Springs, New Mexico, population 364. Surrounded by the Santa Fe National Forest nestled in the walls of San Diego canyon, Raymond has made his home where his great grandfather settled. Sandovak says, I wanted to see the stars at night and hear the crickets again.

Sandoval is a graduate of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts and received numerous awards and commissions.

Sandoval's artwork range from small bronzes to colossal Monuments. Sandoval's most well known work is the colossal bronze of TAMANEND in Philadelphia, Pa, located on Penn´s Landing along the Delaware river. TAMANEND commemorates the contributions of Native Americans Indians.

As an artist, Sandoval uses the figure as language. The art becomes the messenger. He is always learning. Sandoval says, "my work is a result of working where there is seemingly nothing, allowing myself to be irrational and emotional, then with a measure of faith, I intuitively make an image. What I find is that in some indirect way, I´ve dredged up a peice of myself and put it on public view. Using traditional icons with the idea that my forefathers came here to homestead with the scared image in their memory, they created a very simple and clean image of their patron saint ."

When Sandoval was invited to be a part of Dia De Los Muertos ~ Erotica exhibit, he used that idea. Simple and clean using traditional methods, with a twist.

Raymond Sandoval ~ Buddies ~14 1/2" x 7 1/2" ~ dry pigments ,shellac on barn wood ~ 2007

Raymond Sandoval ~ Red Bal l ~ 11" x 5 1/2" ~ dry pigments, shellac on barn wood ~ 2007

Raymond Sandoval ~ Wrapped 1 ~ 14" x 7 1/2" ~ corn husks on barn wood ~ 2007

Raymond Sandoval ~ guerito ~ bonito ~ paper mache mask ~ 2007