VISUAL ARTS + MUSEUMS

Beginning February 5, 2011, Spacetaker will host The Candy Shop - A Sweet & Spicy Experience, a group exhibition by members of The Montrose Art Society at its ARC Gallery through February 18.

The Candy Shop is an exploration of the dynamic and cultural effects of Latin and South America in the U.S. today, with a focus on something sweet: candy. With a growing population of native Latin and South Americans and our nation’s ever-growing interest in embracing many cultural traditions, more and more businesses are moving toward Latin and South American cultural trends, particularly cuisine. From cuisine to everyday products, our society is becoming greater influenced by Latin American and South American culture.

Artists Andre Amaral (Brazil), Edu Portillo (El Salvador), and Raul Gonzalez (Mexico) examine these trends and ideas through the lens of the Pop Art movement, which became popular in the US in the early 1960s.

Their artwork draws upon the appeal of Latin and South American candies. By examining the aesthetic appeal of packaging and the combination of sweet and spicy flavors, these artists, accompanied by Chef M. Medrano and Grupo Alee will create an environment that will entice the viewer with sight, sound and taste.

About the artists:

Andre Amaral (Brazil)
In his work, Andre Amaral uses solvent CMYK inks salvaged from a commercial large format printer, painting them in separate layers of color. This way of painting is meant to reference channels of color in graphic design and create a symbolic bridge between fine art and commercial art. His work usually focuses on bits and pieces of Brazilian culture that become steadily more important to those who live in foreign lands. In The Candy Shop he explores a portion of that nostalgia, represented in candies and chocolates that are known to most Brazilians and have even come to gain iconic status in expatriate Brazilian communities.

Raul Gonzalez (Mexico)
The idea behind Gonzalez’s body of work is to comment on the effect of Latin American culture in our society as well as pay tribute to the Pop Art movement of the early 60s. His work stems from Andy Warhol's Campbell soup paintings, but takes another step as to acknowledge the constant change of American culture. By replacing the Campbell soup can with Mexican candies, “I am not only changing a product, but also a symbol”.

Latin America has become a strong force in representing modern U.S. culture, and these candies, which are portrayed as paintings, sculptures and installations, bring forth that notion. They represent change.

Eduardo Portillo (El Salvador)
The idea behind Portillo’s new body of work is to overstate a reality of a community, a growing community within another community. Houston is our best example of this community. The Candy Shop is for him, the connections among his background or origins as an individual and the new culture that he encountered when he was at first a newcomer in this country. The work enhances the idea that he is personally part of this small and growing community that someday will make a bigger difference on the new face this nation.
Just like candy is big part of the popular culture in the U.S., candy is also popular in almost every other part of the world. Candy is not just a confection made from a concentrated solution of sugar in water.

Candies come in numerous colors and varieties and have a long history in popular culture. So, the analogy between people and these sugary items can help say more about identities than what we think. The work specifically looks to expand these ideas that are already out there through sculpture, installation, painting and mixed media in order to deliver a broader image to the viewer.

Chef Adan M. Medrano
Eating candy is an artful experience, both visual and flavorful. When biting into Latin American candy the moment is imbued with a long history of cultural encounter between Latin American and European cuisines. I’ve chosen to cook Mexican candies that demonstrate aspects of that encounter. Over 500 years ago when chocolate, squash, chiles and other food products were first transported from Latin America to Europe, they were consumed dislocated from their native culinary history and people. Not so true today when the manufacture, packaging, advertising and transporting of Latin American candies happen in a globalized and visual media environment. Enjoyment is at the basis and it is personal, since eating candy can also recall memories, foster belonging and preserve identity. Artful eating is important because we become what we eat.

Grupo Alee
The band, takes influences from Tejano, Regional Mexican Music and Colombian-style Cumbia. Incorporating these three styles, the band creates a blend of music that is 100% original, upbeat and one in which delivers a universal message that connects with human experiences. Their style of music is a great complement to the richness of the Latin American candy.