Luis Sahagun - My Art Is My Voice

Kites and Strings

This is a re-release of an episode featuring visual artist, Luis Sahagun in anticipation of the exhibition that he mentions in this episode. The exhibition is call Unearthing: Magic, Mimicry, and the Mundane,
In this episode, Steve and Catherine have the distinct pleasure and honor to interview Luis Sahagun, an amazing artist who is tremendously candid in sharing how he discovered that his artmaking gave him, an undocumented at-risk youth from south of Chicago, a voice. He speaks on how he discovered that he is a creative, how he's received support for being an artist and how sometimes he recieved messages that weren't so supportive. He also shared about his earliest memories of his creative process, leaving a more lucrative design career, and how he learned that exploring and researching the images that came out of his creative process truly helped him process trauma and loss. You will learn on the tough decisions and sacrifices Luis has made to create his art and he speaks on how he teaches children that they too have a voices.
Luis has been featured in New American Paintings (Issue #111), and his work was showcased at the International Exposition of Contemporary Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, the National Museum of Mexican Art in Chicago. He has also held residencies at Arquetopia Oaxaca, Roswell New Mexico, Chicago Artist Coalition, Mana Contemporary in Miami, Michigan State University in East Lansing and the Chicago Cultural Center which featured his one-person show, BOTH EAGLE AND SERPENT.
Cate White when talking about his show, THE MOUNTAINS WHISPERED AND THE CANYON SANG, says that Luis Sahagun has one of these voices that carries far and wide. His realness allows him to connect with any social group—from the hood to the hills and whatever’s in between.
Exhibition Description:
This Exhibition celebrates the conclusion of Luis' time as a Michigan State University, Artist-in-Residence in Critical Race Studies. It runs from June 6th to Aug 6, at the MSU Union Art Gallery. It is open and free to the public.

Unearthing: Magic, Mimicry, and the Mundane, is a quest to widen the understanding of ancestral artifacts, the imagination, and art as vital sources for dismantling western forms of intellectual imperialism. Rooted in object-orientated ontology, the exhibition interweaves Mesoamerican archeological artifacts and contemporary artworks from Mexican artists such as Rufino Tamayo, Graciela Iturbude, Flor Garduno, and Luis Sahagun in order to conjure mystical teachings via spiritual mestizaje.

NOTE: This episode has a few adult words
Luis Sahagun - Website
Both Eagle and Serpent - Chicago Cultural Center
Chicago Gallery News article about BOTH EAGLE AND SERPENT
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Kites and String's is produced and edited by Steve Ploum at Turning Stones Counseling, Inc.
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