Press Release
On October 27th from 6-11pm, OPEN Center for the Arts will begin displaying an exhibit featuring work from printmakers around the world at 2214 S. Sacramento Ave about mining and how the practice has affected communities throughout the Americas. Extracting resources from the earth has always been a destructive process, but the impacts on real people often go unseen. The purpose of this exhibition is to highlight the real costs of mining on the environment, societies, and economies throughout this continent.
Quotes from the artists:
“We have a duty to be vigilant and take our responsibilities seriously with regards to our children, for they represent the future. “ – Jo Ann Lanneville
“America hoy debe preocuparse no solo por la sobre poblacion de un continente saqueado por mas de 500 años, a los pueblos indigenas se les ofrecen discursos de progreso, disfrazados con pobreza y mineria.” -America Rodriguez
“Al explotar nuestros recursos naturales de manera irresponsible y mercernaria, estamos destruyendo a nuestra Madre Tierra e hiriéndola mortalmente. “ -Poli Marichal
The history of this region is closely linked to mining. From colonial times to the present day, labor exploitation, political and social repression, and environmental damage have gone hand in hand with the mining industry. Recently, large-scale extraction projects have increased with adverse consequences for the environment and the communities where they are carried out. The resistance to mining has grown in an organized way, but so has the opposition that tries to silence those voices. As a result, Latin America has become one of the most dangerous places in the world for defenders of human rights and the environment.
Join us on October 27th as we explore this important topic and attempt to turn art into action. For more information or press inquiries, please contact Malik Alim (Digital Media Coordinator) at malik.alim@opencenterforthearts.org.