“Tell me a Story, Dime un Cuento” by Xavier Garza. April 9, 2010

Opening reception : April 9 6pm - 9pm. Xavier Garza will read from his newly released book followed by a book signing.

We are surrounded by cuentos/stories. They form a pivotal part of who we are as Latino’s, and serve as part of the building blocks of our culture. Stories told to us by our grandparents about such characters as la Llorona, la Lechuza and el Chupacabras may have frightened us as children, but they also served the higher purpose of not only teaching us a moral lesson, but keeping the power of the spoken word alive. These stories/cuentos are like family heirlooms that are handed down to us. We in turn must keep these stories alive ourselves by handing them down to our own children so as to ensure their survival for future generations to enjoy. This is what I seek to do with the creation of my body of work titled, “Tell me a Story / Dime un Cuento.” I took many of the stories that Latino’s have heard for generations, and depict them as comic book strips ala Sunday Morning Funnies, but done in a graphic novel format. Viewers can follow along as they both read and see the story of la Llorona, the woman who is said to have drowned her own children in a river, play out before their eyes. For her heinous crime, she is said to have been cursed to walk the earth forever as a tormented soul that steals rascally children that wonder far from their homes. They will hear stories of the green skinned space aliens that are said to feed off the blood of goats, and of women who it is said through magic have the power to turn themselves into giant white owls with glowing red eyes.
The series itself consists of fourteen Acrylic on wood panels done is vibrant color hues that bring these stories to life for the viewer. Done in both English and Spanish text, the stories that accompany the panels serve in the dual role of being bilingual tools that educate the viewer, and are a reflection of the dual heritage that has become a staple of the ever growing Latino culture in America.

Artist Bio
Xavier Garza is a prolific Valley artist and author, Xavier Garza received his BFA at UT Edinburg in 1994, and his Mastersin Art History at UTSA in 2007. As an artist he has exhibited his art in various venues throughout Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona, including: the Institute of Texan Cultures in San Antonio, The Arizona State Museum in Tucson and The Mesa Southwest Museum in Tempe. His work was featured prominently in the books Contemporary Chicano/a Art: Artists, Works, Culture and Education (Bilingual Review Press), Chicano Art for our Millennium(Bilingual Review Press), Triumph of our Communities – Twenty Years of Mexican American Art(Bilingual Review Press), Yo Soy/I am DVD Volume 2 (Bilingual Review Press) and There Was a Woman – La Llorona from Folklore to Popular Culture (UT Press) . He is the author/illustrator of five books, Creepy Creatures and other Cucuys (Arte Publico Press), Lucha Libre: The Man in the Silver Mask (Cinco Puntos), Juan and the Chupacabras (Arte Publico Press), Charro Claus and the Tejas Kid (Cinco Puntos) and Zulema and the Witch Owl (Arte Publico Press). His sixth book, Kid Cyclone battles the Devil, is slated for release by Arte Publico Press in the Spring of 2010. Born and raised in the Rio Grande Valley, Xavier Garza has made San Antonio his home since August of 2000.