Landmark exhibition Focus Latin America: Art Is Our Last Hope comes to the monOrchid

PHOENIX - Nov. 30, 2014 - PRLog -- Shade Projects and the monOrchid are making history as the first gallery partnering with Phoenix Art Museum to display Focus Latin America: Art Is Our Last Hope. For the first time, Phoenix Art Museum is bringing one of their landmark exhibitions to a local gallery. Phoenix Art Museum’s Shawn and Joe Lampe Curator of Latin American Art, Dr. Vanessa Davidson, curates this groundbreaking exhibition of mail art, assisted by Gabriela Muñoz and Averi Gutiérrez, as well as the Shade Projects Curator, Nicole Royse. This show is the first large-scale exhibition of international mail art to be held at a major US institution since 1971.

This collaboration brings to the community an international exhibition of contemporary mail art that was originally organized in conjunction with the Paulo Bruscky exhibition currently on view at Phoenix Art Museum. Shade Projects will present an expanded exhibition of Focus Latin America: Art Is Our Last Hope, with works received from over 440 artists from 35 countries. Shade Gallery at the monOrchid will allow Dr. Davidson the opportunity to expand the exhibition, in addition to presenting more background on the mail art movement and its connection with contemporary artists participating in the exhibition.

What is mail art? “Mail art is a form of communication between artists who exchange artworks via international postal networks without any expectation of financial compensation.” Artworks take a variety of forms, including postcards, photographs, photocopies, rubber-stamped pieces, visual poetry, graphic works on paper, collages, drawings and found objects. This is also an amazing opportunity for the community to experience an exhibition of this caliber featuring such an incredible variety of work and artists from around the globe. For more information about Focus Latin America: Art Is Our Last Hope please visit: http://phxartmail.tumblr.com/.

The Opening Reception for Focus Latin America: Art Is Our Last Hopewill be held on First Friday, December 5^th from 6-10pm and its free and open to the public. This exhibition will be on display in Shade Gallery at the monOrchid from December 5^th, 2014 until January 12^th, 2015.

The monOrchid is located at 214 E. Roosevelt Street in the heart of Phoenix's downtown arts district. The building is open daily and the exhibition may be viewed during business hours. Visit our website for more information: monorchid.com. Please contact the Curator, Nicole Royse by phone at (602) 810-3449 or by email at art@monorchid.com for media inquiries or a private appointment to view this exhibition.