Opening: Images of Tortugas December 4, 2009

Las Cruces, NM –“Images of Tortugas,” a photographic essay by Robert Kaiser opens Friday, November 13, 2009 at the Branigan Cultural Center. The public is invited to meet Kaiser during the opening reception held in conjunction with the First Friday Ramble on December 4th from 5 to 7 p.m.

The small village of Tortugas, located about three and a half miles outside of Las Cruces, was established in the early 1850s. The first inhabitants were made up of Manso Indians from the Guadalupe Mission in present day Juarez, Tiguas from Isleta del Sur, and Piro Indians from Senecú del Sur and Socorro del Sur. Since its founding, generations have observed the annual feast days of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 10th, 11th, and 12th. Organized by the Corporacion de Los Indigenes de Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe, a key activity of the event is the four-mile pilgrimage up Tortugas Mountain, also known as “A” Mountain by NMSU students. In 2008 Robert Kaiser joined the pilgrimage and the resulting photography makes up the “Images of Tortugas” exhibit.

Kaiser completed his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Graphic Design from the University of Utah, Salt Lake City, under the tutelage of visiting Professor Roland Siegrist. His body of work has been published in major news sources and magazines. He is currently working on a book project documenting Hispanic culture with Professor Spencer Herrera of NMSU.

In conjunction with the exhibit, a special screening of “Our People, Our Faith…Our Lady” will be held at the Rio Grande Theater, on Thursday, December 3rd. The documentary produced by the City of Las Cruces –TV was directed by Adrian Guzman, and explores the three day Fiesta of Our Lady of Guadalupe, in Tortugas, NM. The film starts at 7:00 p.m. Tickets are free and are available at City Hall – 200 N. Church Street.

The Branigan Cultural Center, 501 N. Main Street, is located at the north end of the Downtown Mall in Las Cruces. The exhibit and reception is free and open to the public. Galleries are open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information about exhibits, contact the Branigan Cultural Center at (575) 541-2154 or visit the Center’s web site at las-cruces.org/museums.