Calaveras en mi Ciudad

ANNUAL MOBILE ART EXHIBIT

2022

Calaveras en Mi Ciudad is an annual mobile art exhibit that celebrates and pays tribute to Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), a holiday and day of remembrance in Mexico.

The exhibit is a collaboration with eight Colorado based Latino artists who were invited to participate: Anthony Garcia Sr., Armando Silva, Chelsea Lewinski, Juls Mendoza, Karma Leigh, Norberto Mojardin, Xencs L. Wing, and Charlo G. Walterbach, all who hand-painted the calaveras.

The papier-mâché mold of the calaveras was created by artist Ricardo Soltero. Each calavera is a personal statement that is unique to its creator – each expressing a visual story of who they are, where they come from and how they place themselves within the ancestral tradition of Día de los Muertos.

The calaveras serve to remind us that our spirits continue after death. For this reason, the calaveras have had particularly special meaning during the Covid-19 pandemic and continue to be one of the most well-known symbols of Día de los Muertos.

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ARTIST - JULS MENDOZA

Juls Mendoza is a Denver-based multi-disciplinary artist who celebrates his heritage through art.

His art style "Surrealismo Cultural" or "Cultural Surrealism" focuses on Cultural Identity, Community and Social Justice. Born in El Paso, TX and raised in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, Juls’ style is defined greatly by his Mexican heritage and Latino culture.

Juls has created large-scale murals around the Denver Metropolitan area in Colorado as well as in Mexico. He says of his heritage, “I am who I am in most part because of my Mexican and Latino heritage, therefore incorporating my heritage into my art is meaningful to me, and I feel it's meaningful to those that can relate to that sentiment as well."

For Juls, the greatest gift is to get inspired by one’s own traditions, food, people and colors and it is a blessing to be able to put all these into an art piece and inspire others.

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@jwlc.art1 @jwlc_art

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ARTIST - NORBERTO MOJARDIN Norberto “Beto” Mojardin is the Founder of the Colorado Day of the Dead Festival. Beto is also the Founder/Creator of Latin Fashion Week Colorado, Viva Colorado, NM Designs and Beto’s Hair Studio. Beto’s work in fine arts also includes paintings, sculptures, fashion design, sewing and several traditional forms of Mexican art.

Beloved by all, Beto has been inspiring beauty across Colorado and internationally for more than 25 years.

Beto is deeply committed to the Latino community across Colorado and often donates his talents free of charge to great causes. As an International Award winner for his design abilities, Beto is invited to lend his talents across many platforms and for many of the State’s most prominent and prestigious events each year.

One of the most spectacular displays of his art each year is during Día de los Muertos. Beto uses this holiday to pass down art traditions to local K-12 students. Beto’s biggest undertaking in 2020 was to create the largest Día de los Muertos Altar in the Country for the 5th year in a row.

Beto has received many awards for his community service and proclamations from the Governor of Colorado for his events.

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@Coloradodayofthedead @norbertomojardin

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ARTIST - CHARLO G. WALTERBACH

Charlo is a multimedia artist and designer who strives for one thing: joy.

Using symbols, letters and lines, his monochromatic two-dimensional works are a space for exploration and discovery.

Hidden themes and messages reside in the densely packed compositions, allowing viewers to impart their own sense of meaning from the works, or be delighted by the meanings provided by the artist.

The interwoven shapes, words and symbols foster a sense of community interaction, collaboration, and hopeful optimism. Having emigrated from Monterrey, Mexico in 2013, the Denver-based artist describes himself as filled to the brim with gratitude. In his native language of Spanish, the equivalent for “experiencing joy” is “alegría” and it is this experience of joy he wishes to share with the world through his works.

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ARTIST - KARMA LEIGH Karma Leigh is a Chicana from Colorado who was blessed to grow up between two worlds, the urban life of the city and the natural wonders of the Rockies.

Both have inspired her work as an artist and educator. She teaches art to children, typically with non-profit organizations.

Karma spent 7 years teaching with Museo de las Americas.

Karma has always had an innate desire for exploration, and she has traveled to many cities in the US landing her in Phoenix for three years.

It was there where her passion to create, and become a better artist, was fueled by the many prolific artists she was surrounded by. Karma’s continued artistic interests are focused on themes of our human connection to spirit through nature and women, both of which are often overlooked in modern times, for their contributions and significance to society.

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@KarmaLeigh.Art @karmaleigh

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ARTIST - XENCS L. WING Born and raised in Denver, Colorado, visual artist Xencs L. Wing tunes into each project and medium naturally, having no formal art training. After being gifted paint supplies in her mid 20s by her older brother, she discovered that she had a deep connection with visual art and hasn’t stopped creating since that moment.

Painting, making jewelry, customizing objects (sneakers, check presenters, headpieces), and painting art live in front of an audience are some of her favorite ways to tell stories and share her visions with the world. People often limit their views to a dualistic nature, missing all the colors and shades in between the black & white, between life & death.

Visual Artist Xencs L. Wing is the culmination of cultural & ancestral tradition as the foundation of her modern approach, breathing life & beauty into every creation, handcrafted painting and piece of jewelry.

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@XLwing333 @xlwing333

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ARTIST - ARMANDO SILVA Armando Silva is a painter, muralist, and performer who uses his artistic superpowers to tell powerful stories, build community, and inspire youth through art. As a recipient of a Governor’s Creative Leadership award from Colorado Creative Industries in 2018, Armando has been celebrated for his collaborations with cities, non-profits, businesses, and educators across the state and beyond. Armando was born in Sombrerete, Zacatecas, Mexico and spent most of his childhood traveling between Mexico and the USA. Armando uses his cultural roots to ground his work and create a voice for his Mexican American story. Armando believes his artistic abilities come with the responsibility to lead, educate, and give back to the community. Armando’s largescale mural installations give communities a way to communicate messages that can’t always be said in words.

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@artmandosilva @artmandosilva

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ARTIST - CHELSEA LEWINSKI

Chelsea Lewinski: Artist.

Muralist. Creator. Entrepreneur.

A Denver native who’s move from digital and acrylic art in the last few years has spawned a whirlwind of murals across Colorado focusing on humans and the energies and emotions they provide. From celebrities to icons to her friends in general, nobody´s off limits to Chelsea’s spray paint can.

She has rocked Crush, Streetwise, Babewalls and most local festivals and is currently on her way to host her first gallery feature in L.A., all while raising her son and dog who can often be found by her side as she creates on the world canvas.

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@chelsealewinskiart @chelsealewinski

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ARTIST - ANTHONY GARCIA SR. Anthony Garcia Sr. was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, more specifically in the Globeville community. Beginning as an urban street artist (aka graffiti writer), Anthony has since grown into a multifaceted creative entrepreneur and community leader and is now most recognized for his public artwork, community outreach programming, and his leadership in championing emerging artists from Denver and abroad. His artistic style incorporates traditional Chicano motifs and celebrates the complex duality of living as a US Citizen who is also Chicano.

His aesthetic pays homage to cultural, geographical, and historical contexts through the implementation of modern techniques and exploration of pop trends. Aside from being a successful contemporary artist, Anthony is also the co-founder of Birdseed Collective, a Denverbased nonprofit that aims to make a positive impact in local communities through programs and projects that emphasize creativity and healthy living.

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@anthony.garcia.7503314 @birdseedanthony

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UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS

Calaveras en mi Ciudad

October 17th – November 13th, 2022

November 1st and 2nd 2022

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