Centro Cultural Aztlan is pleased to present San Antonio on the Rise; a two-person exhibit showcasing the cultura of San Anto on canvas featuring Martin Rangel and Victor H. De La Fuente

These two homegrown artists put their thoughts and similar ideas together to exhibit the works that they want to share with the people of “San Anto.” Both artists were born and raised—and have spent their whole lives—in this great city; and both hold vast knowledge about the history of the city. These two artists believe San Antonio is growing in a historical and ethnic aspect; and by exhibiting their ideas of San Antonio on canvas they hope to educate the people of our city, visiting tourists, and the newcomers. Their work captures city and street views as part of everyday life. This exhibit not only highlights the historical part of San Antonio, but also focuses on what brings our unique city together—the cultura, and its starts from the corazón of the city.

Martin Emmanuel Rangel’s work straddles between the concepts of representation and abstraction.  He is fascinated by culture, history, everyday life, and symbols of different generations throughout the past and present, and the different meanings they evoke in different people. Rangel’s work consists of images of Texas life, Mexican culture, places, everyday life, historical landmarks, inanimate objects, still life, portraiture, and as a devoted Christian, he also does works of spirituality. By weaving together different mediums such as acrylic paints, mixed media, and emphasizing intensive color, along with abstraction and representation, Rangel’s work forms a fusion of local cultural dynamics that turn an object of the past or present into a single medium of art which can be viewed through a modern or post-modern lens, depending on where one stands within the realm of historical consciousness.

Victor H. De La Fuente: Internally driven, and emotionally charged in his creative practice, De La Fuente aims to imbue his city with drama, mood, and a passionate personality. Working with a wide variety of mediums, he paints his immediate surroundings with intimate, dynamic expression. The primarily self-taught artist has graced the Hollywood screen on several occasions, and you can find his work in the TV series From Dusk Till Dawn and in other shows like Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Painting on medium to large scale wood panels, he utilizes a number of techniques, including an ancient medium called Encaustics, which is using molten beeswax, dammar resin crystals and pigments as hot paint. De La Fuente has a diverse body of work, including explosive abstract art, recycled art, contemporary mixed media art, spiritual paintings, and his figurative art.

The exhibit is free and open to the public and will be on view Friday August 9 – Friday September 6, 2019 Monday-Friday, 9:00am-5:00pm. 

 For more information, please call Centro Cultural Aztlan M-F, 9am to 5pm at 210-432-1896 or come by Centro Cultural Aztlan’s office located in the Deco Building at 1800 Fredericksburg Road, Suite 103. www.centroaztlan.org