LAURIE ZUCKERMAN'S DURANGO ARTS CENTER SOLO ART EXHIBIT— “Hispanic Legacy"

NOTES FROM MY DURANGO OPENING AND LECTURE
This summer the Durango Arts Center Library is presenting my show, “Hispanic Legacy: A Photographic Portrayal of Cemetery Shrines of Colorado and New Mexico,” which includes almost all new work: twenty photos, one altar installation, and a huge memory jug to compliment two of my jugs I debuted last summer at the Loveland Art Museum's "Grave Matters" show. The opening was wonderful and I think the intensity and detail of my assemblage work took many people aback, especially my new altar, "Bella Donna."

I created the exhibit to exactly fit the intimate library space, which is upstairs in the historic downtown building. I am really excited about the visual impact of this show, which I installed in one full-day with the assistance and persistance of my DAC host and sponsor, artist Mary Ellen Long. You will want to check out my link to Mary Ellen's website (under my list of favorite art sites.) Her work is so lovely and delicate. Our three inspiring nights at Mary Ellen's home was the best part of my introduction to the Durango art community.

I was surprised that I was to be interviewed by artist, Jules Masterjohn, who writes a column called "Arting Around" for the weekly Durango Telegraph. Her wonderful article printed on July 19th and is posted above. I also feel lucky to have received a large photo notice topping the Arts calendar of the Durango Herald, and a host of press releases on various websites throughout the Four Corners region. I'll attach a couple with this post, as I find it humorous to see my work advertised on these western-themed sites.

Coinciding with my opening on Friday night, July 6, was a huge art opening and fund-raising auction in the main gallery, which involved 77 Durango-area artists, several of which I met as they came up to see my own show.

Saturday morning, I presented a slide lecture about my work that illustrated the over twenty years of Hispanic influences on my own altarwork and photography, beginning with images from one of my earliest trips to Mexico in 1985. The colorful pictures guided the audience through regions of Mexico, Peru, Baja, New Mexico, and Southern Colorado, on my quest of cemetery art and church shrines. I finished up with a variety of my museum and gallery installation altars during the last couple of years, which I have been exhibited in Northern Colorado and Taos, New Mexico.