Day of the Dead installation dedicated to lives of animals sacrificed to human greed.
From fashion runways to fast food drive throughs, university labs to undercover fight pits millions of animals live and die in pain to satisfy the human quest for entertainment, fashion and cheap eats. This year, Working Classroom marks its annual artistic celebration of Dia de Muertos with traditional Mexican food, music by Lenore Armijo and Quienes Son Los Animales?, a series of contemporary altars dedicated to the dogs, horses, rhinos, elephants, minx, roosters and yes, even mice, tortured and killed, not for human need but for human pleasure.
The exhibit features installations depicting labs, slaughter houses, fight pits and fashion houses. After watching a video of raccoons skinned alive for their fur, 13-year old Ximoara Ortega Trinindad decided to help fashionistas “see how the fashion industry gets the fur on their coat collars.”
Valley High seniors Bianca Benevidez and Lauren Martinez-Burr, a vegetarian herself, pulls the curtain back, revealing a slaughterhouse conveyor belt where a hand plucks animals up, chops them up and spits them out, neatly and antiseptically packaged for tonight’s dinner.
Despite the grisly themes, the exhibit is neither grim nor depressing, says guest instructor Isaac AlaridPease. “The work is colorful and intentionally childlike; it is that spirit that engages viewers and provokes reflection.”
The celebration in Visiones Gallery, 212 Gold Ave SW, Albuquerque NM 87102(southwest corner 2nd & Gold), sponsored by Tricore Reference Laboratories, begins at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 2. Tickets are $12/Adults and $6.00/Students & Seniors.
The exhibit continues through November 21, 2008. Gallery Hours: Monday-Friday 9:00 – 5:00 pm or by appointment.
This exhibit is made possible by generous support from the City of Albuquerque, Department Family & Community Services, County of Bernalillo, Surdna Foundation, McCune Foundation.
Working Classroom is a street conservatory that identifies and recruits talented young artists and actors from Albuquerque’s historically ignored communities—and provides tuition-free education and training, including college scholarships. Classes are taught by the country’s top artists, playwrights and directors -professionals who welcome new creative opportunities and a prestigious venue for cutting-edge work.
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