Luis Fitch at Plains Art Museum

Plains Art Museum Presents
Day of the Dead Exhibition and Related Events

Fargo, ND – Plains Art Museum brings a full-size steamroller to its campus from 9 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, October 3 and Sunday, October 4. It will be driven over printing plates to create large prints in front of the Museum building. An exhibition of the work made called Day of the Dead: Latino Artists Create Steam Roller Prints opens October 8 in the Museum’s William and Anna Jane Schlossman Gallery and runs through January 3.

In collaboration with ArtOrg from Northfield, Minn., the work of Luis Fitch, Alexa Horochowski, Gustavo Lira, Doug Padilla, Maria Cristina Tavera and Xavier Tavera, all artists from Twin Cities Latino art collective Grupo Soap del Carazon, will be featured in the exhibition. The prints will be coupled with an ofrenda, an “alter-like” installation common in Day of the Dead tradition, made by artists Maria Cristina and Xavier Tavera.

Colleen Sheehy, the Museum’s director/CEO said, “This is a spectacular art-making event and exhibition you won’t want to miss. These artists have designed the print imagery based on Day of the Dead traditions. This annual Latino holiday is held in early November to honor the memories of people who have died, ranging from family and friends to public figures.”

Additional events in conjunction with the exhibition are:
· Youth Steamroller Printmaking events, 9 to Noon, Monday, October 5, at Red River Area Learning Center School, 1100 32nd Ave. S. Moorhead, Minn.; and 4 to 7 p.m. at Centro Cultural de Fargo-Moorhead, 1014 19th St. S. Moorhead.
· Day of the Dead Celebration Reception, Noon to 3 p.m., Saturday, November 7. The public is invited to observe Day of the Dead at the Museum with the unveiling of the ofrenda in the gallery; play loteria (Mexican bingo) with local artist Lana Suomala; listen to music by DJ Chris Molina of Suficiente Sound; and enjoy fiesta hors d’oeuvres and punch. The event is free.
· Fiesta de Mujeres (Celebration of Women), 6 to 9 p.m., Saturday, November 14. This Fiesta observes the 20th Anniversary Celebration of Mujeres Unidas (Women United). It includes a buffet dinner, mariachi band, folk dancers and Latina Awards presentation by Mujeres Unidas. The Fiesta is co-presented by Mujeres Unidas and Plains Art Museum and costs $5 per adult and $3 per child.

The exhibition is sponsored locally by Open Magazine and American Crystal Sugar and co-sponsored by the Mexican Consulate in St. Paul, Minn., in observance of the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence and the Centennial of the Mexican Revolution.

Plains Art Museum is located at 704 First Avenue North. It is accredited by the American Association of Museums and is a nonprofit, regional fine arts museum with plans to significantly expand its programs through its “Little artist in all of us” campaign. The campaign is raising funds for the Creativity Center for Lifelong Learning which includes the Fingerprints Interactive Education Gallery and working with Fargo Public Schools and other educational entities to build teaching studios. The campaign is also strengthening operations by enhancing the Museum’s endowment and visitor services. Museum programs are made possible, in part, by major funding from members of the Museum, The FUNd at Plains Art Museum, The McKnight Foundation, the Minnesota State Arts Board through an appropriation by the Minnesota State Legislature, the North Dakota Council on the Arts through an appropriation by the North Dakota State Legislature and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. More information is available at 701.232.3821 or at www.plainsart.org.