Alex Velazquez Brightbill: Mujer Quetzalcoatl | January 4 - March 30, 2023

*Dream of Quetzalcoatl*, 2022, Mixed media shadow box with syringes, 16 x 20 Inches

Artist Reception: Sunday, January 8, 2023, 3:00 - 6:00 PM

Afterwards, join us for a private happy hour across the street at the Quincy Street Distillery.

Exhibition Dates: January 4 - March 30, 2023

Riverside Town Hall: 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois

Viewing Hours: Mondays - Thursdays 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM, Fridays 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM, Closed Holidays

The Riverside Arts Center is pleased to present Alex Velazquez Brightbill’s exhibition, Mujer Quetzalcoatl at the Riverside Town Hall. Velazquez Brightbill’s prints and multi-media art utilize traditions and symbols from her Mexican heritage. Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of creation, represents her son’s birth after in vitro fertilization, with shadow boxes filled with syringes, prints, and drawings. Her mastery of printmaking is apparent as she reimagines the visuals of Loteria, the Mexican card game. Velazquez Brightbill is also influenced by nature and the shared resilience of plants and humans as shown in her linocut prints.

Please join us for a reception with the artist on Sunday, January 8th from 3:00 - 6:00 PM. The Riverside Town Hall is located a short block away from the Riverside Arts Center. Refreshments will be served in RAC’s sculpture garden. Join us afterwards for a private happy hour across the street at the Quincy Street Distillery.

Artist Statement:

“Dream of Quetzalcoatl” is the story of my journey from infertility to motherhood through in vitro fertilization. It takes its name from Quetzalcoatl, the Aztec god of creation.

The “Loteria” series also draws on my Mexican heritage – Loteria is a Mexican bingo game, and I use these prints to reimagine the traditional images in unique ways. I am excited to pass on this heritage to my infant son.

The “Carnivorous plants” series comes out of my fascination with living things and how they have adapted to survive in difficult environments. Celebrating plants helps me appreciate and stay connected to the present moment.

Alex Velazquez Brightbill is a Mexican artist who immigrated to Chicago at the age of ten. Her artwork embodies the hybridity of growing up with two cultural experiences, and her love of animals and nature. She has held solo exhibitions in Chicago and Oak Park, Illinois and participated in group exhibitions at the National Museum of Mexican Art, Awakenings Gallery, and La Luz Gallery in Chicago. Velazquez Brightbill has also curated art exhibitions and cultural events. She earned a BFA from Northeastern Illinois University.

https://www.alexvelazquezart.com

Riverside Town Hall exhibitions feature work by area artists, celebrating the exchange of support and generosity between the community of Riverside and the Riverside Arts Center.

Riverside Town Hall

27 Riverside Road
Riverside, Illinois 60546

Riverside Town Hall Hours: Monday – Thursday: 9am-4pm, Friday: 9am – 3pm, Closed Saturday, Sunday, and major holidays