Humanquina: Manifest Tech-Destiny, a digital mural by Los Cybrids, part of a collaboation of Galeria de la Raza, René Garcia, John Jota Leaños and Mónica Praba Pilar to produce three computer-generated temporary murals, online artwork, and an installation about the digital divide and the Latino community, 2001.

Project Title: Los Cybrids, La Raza Techno-Critica
Recipient Organization: Galeria de la Raza
Lead Artist: John Leaños
Genre and Date Awarded: Visual Arts, June 2000
Presented: June-September 2001

Their efforts culminated in the creation of three 10’ by 24’ computer-generated temporary murals in San Francisco’s predominantly Latino Mission District, accompanied by on-line artwork, installations and performances. The public pieces reflected the ongoing vitality of the Mexican mural tradition as well as the San Francisco Bay Area’s pioneering role in incorporating new technology in the arts.

This ambitious collaborative work was developed and presented over the course of a year, beginning with an artists’ residency at Galería de la Raza, through which each of the artists invited in neighborhood arts, social service, and community organizations to help them formulate the central ideas and content of their murals. By engaging various organizations’ constituencies in a collaborative process of conceptualizing the work, the project explored a wide range of community problems and concerns. Lead artist John Leaños investigated the influence of technology on culture in conjunction with cultural workers. Monica Praba Pilar worked with Mission District youth exploring access to technology and the influence of technology on the body. Working with Latino artists participating in an Internet training program, René Garcia, explored how Latinos are stereotyped as consumers rather than producers of the new media.

Galería de la Raza convened residency constituents and helped the three artists to develop, design, and produce their murals. The finished pieces—entitled “El Webopticon,” “Humaquina: Manifest Techno-Destiny,” and “Last One to Cross the Digital Divide is a Rotten Egg”—were presented from July through September 2001 on the exterior of Galería’s building at 24^th and Bryant Streets. While the project proposal included interpretive panel discussions to accompany each mural’s unveiling, the artists exceeded their original plans, presenting the exhibition/installation “Techno-Promesas: Putografía Virtual” and three and “performalogues” both at Galería’s space and at The LAB, another Mission District arts organization. A Web piece supported and connected the public art and performance works. The artists experimented extensively with forms to create this piece—digital media, sound and video, and new approaches to political performance.

After the project was complete, the artists continued to explore this content and these media. The project’s visibility and the cooperative relationships with other neighborhood organizations attracted significant audiences and fostered, as intended, broad-based and intellectually rigorous investigation of the questions with which the collaborators began.

Lead artist John Leaños is a digital photographer and installation and recipient of the Creative Capital Grant (2002) and Potrero Nuevo Fund Prize (2001). He pilot-tested the “Los Cybrids” program in the fall of 1999 by working with a group of students at San Francisco’s High School for the Arts to create a digital mural on the subject of neighborhood gentrification. The pilot program called his attention to the lack of a public forum to discuss the gentrification issues raised by the mural and Leaños sought to remedy that lack through the structure of his collaboration with Garcia, Pilar, and La Galería. All three participating artists had been involved in La Galería’s (Re)Generation Project, a career development project that involves 350 young Latino artists between the ages of 18 and 35.

Founded in 1970, Galería de la Raza promotes public awareness and appreciation of Chicano/Latino art and the cultures from which it arises. For the past 30 years, la Galería has curated five to seven major annual exhibitions, conducted communities forums and artists workshops, and has coordinated cultural celebrations, performances, literary readings, educational programs, and other special events. Its programs have provided a public forum for the examination and expression of artistic concepts central to the Chicano/Latino experience—concepts such as community memory, popular culture, ceremony, family, social activism, and transculturation.

LEAD ARTIST

John Jota Leaños

RESUME HIGHLIGHTS

Selected Exhibitions

• “Empire” Maryland Institute of Art, Baltimore (2004)
• “Picarte: Photography Beyond Representation” The Heard Museum, Phoenix, AZ (2003-04)
• “Time Capsule” Art in General, New York (2003)
• “The Whitney Biennial”, The Whitney Museum, New York (2002)
• “Roots of the Past, Wings of the Future,” Richmond Art Center, Richmond, California (2000)
• “Hecho en Califas, Plaza de la Raza, Los Angeles, California (2000)
• “El Color de la Muerte,” Oakland Museum, Oakland, California (1999)
• “Los Muertos, Museo del Barrio, New York, New York (1999)
• Leo D. Stillwill Exhibition, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Oppositional Gaze,” Gavilan College, Gilroy, California (1998)
• “Labyrinth for the Dead,” Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “El Niño: Chaos and Destruction,” Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Mission Art Space,” New College of California (1996)

Selected Public Art Projects/Performances

• Chicano/a, Latina/o, Hispanic/a Tech-TV, Powering Up/Powering Down Conference, University of California, San Diego (2004)
• El World Brain Disorder: surveillance.control.pendejismo
• Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA (2003)
• Brown University, Providence, RI (2003)
• University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (2003)
• Race in Digital Space Conference, Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (2002)
• Empty Space Theater, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ (2002)
• The LAB, San Francisco, CA (2002)
• “San Francisco Historical Circle of the Displaced,” San Francisco Art Commission Market Street Art in Transit Kiosk Poster Series (2000)
• “The Mission Y2K?” Digital Billboard, Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, California (1999)
• “Creative Collaborations,” San Francisco State University-Balboa High School Creative Collaborations, San Francisco, California (1999)
• “Innerviews: 24^th Street Billboard and Mural Project,” Potrero Hill Middle School of the Arts, San Francisco, California (1999)
• Seven Chakras,” Performance with Linda Montano, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “The Blood of Imperialism is on My Hands,” Public Performance, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Los Restos Coloniales se Manifiestan en el Olvido,” Galería de la Raza Billboard Site, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “NIKE: Life Training Center,” performance, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo Celebration,” performance, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California (1998)

Curating

• Pasajes y Encuentros: Ofrendas for the Days of the Dead, Oakland Museum (2001)
• Digital mural project, Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, California (2000-02)
• “Innerviews” exhibit, series of public artworks by youth, San Francisco, California (1999-2000)

Professional Experience

• Assistant Professor, Arizona State University, Department of Chicana/o Studies (2003-present)
• Fellow, Center for the Arts in Society, Carnegie Mellon University (2002-2003)
• “Latina/o Space” Arizona State University, AZ (2003)
• “Performance Post 9-11” College Arts Association Conference, New York (2003)
• “Version 03 Fest”, Museum of Contemporary Art, Chicago, IL (2003)
• “Urban Interventions,” Panelist, The LAB, San Francisco (2002)
• “Co-Lab Symposium,” Panelist, San Francisco State University (2002)
• “Ultrabaroque: Alluring Discomfort in Latin American Art,” Panelist,
• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (2002)
• Public Art Seminar, San Francisco School of the Arts, San Francisco, California (1999)
• Service Learning in the Arts, San Francisco School of the Arts, San Francisco, California (1999)
• Visiting Artist, “Innerviews” Mural Project, Potrero Hill Middle School of the Arts, San Francisco, California (1999)
• Teaching Assistant in Sculpture, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California (1998)
• School of the Arts/San Francisco State University Mentorship Program (1997)
• Aesthetics seminar in Philosophy and Art Department, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Madrid, Spain (1994)

Selected Awards, Grants, Residencies

• Center for Arts in Society Fellowship, Carnegie Mellon University, 2002-2003
• Creative Capital Foundation Grant, 2002
• Zellerbach Family Fund, 2002
• Potrero Nuevo Fund Prize, 2001
• Creative Work Fund, 2000-2001
• Miranda Lux Foundation, 2000-2001
• Leo S. Stillwell Award, San Francisco State University, 1999-2000
• Murphy Fine Arts Fellowship, San Francisco Foundation, Spring 1999
• Surdna Grant, San Francisco Unified School District, Spring 1999
• San Francisco State University Alumni Association Award, Spring 1999
• San Francisco State University Graduate Equity Fellowship Award, Summer 1999

René Garcia

Selected Exhibitions

• “Y2K Artist Commemorative Calendars,” Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, California (1999)
• “Indecent Exposure,” Coffee Net, San Francisco, California (1999)
• “Creator as Light,” Julian Strong Gallery, Los Angeles, California (1998)
• “Toltecayotl,” Eddie Rhodes Gallery, Richmond, California (1998)
• “Time Time,” James Seymour Gallery, Los Angeles, California (1997)
• “Figures in Shadow,” Poptime Gallery, Los Angeles, California (1996)

Commissions

• “Market Street Art in Transit,” San Francisco Art Commission (2000)

Public Art Projects

• Balboa High School Mural Project (1999)
• “Amigo Racism: Performance,” (1999)

Professional Experience

• Changed Media, San Francisco, California, media consultation firm (years?)
• American Indian Film Festival, San Francisco, California, layout designer for quarterly journal (1997- )
• Studio West, Pacifica, California, photographer and photo assistant (1997-98)
• Heaff Jones Photographic, San Francisco, California, on-site photographic work (1996-97)
• Lee Balem Photography, Los Angeles, California (1994-96)

Monica Praba Pilar

Public Art

• “Fruitvale Plaza Park,” site specific (1999)
• “Pueblitos: My Oasis,” biodegrading ceramic site installation, San Leandro Street, Oakland (1998)
• “Encuentro Vivo,” temporary Day of the Dead installation, Aquatic Park Pier, San Francisco, California (1995)

Selected Site-Specific Installations

• “Polly, Lamb of God?” collaborative site installation/Carnavale, SOMARTS Gallery, San Francisco (1999)
• “warning: warning:warning,” collaborative site installation/Carnavale, Artists Television Access, San Francisco, California (1999)
• “Carnavale of Bio Life: The Russian Roulette of the Brave New World,” mixed media installation/performance, San Francisco Arts Commission Grove Street Windows, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Pasado en Claro,” mixed media structural installation, Open Studios, Oakland, California (1998)
• “Altar para Lesbianas en Violencia,” collaboration/Anada Estevas, Studio 24, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Fresa Farms: It’s a Whitewash,” audio-video structural installation, Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, California (1997)
• “Parturition: East Oakland,” outdoor interactive project, Oakland (1997)
• Neighborhood Windows,” window installation, City of Oakland, California (1997)
• “Round Trip Ticket: to the Immigrant Land,” audio-based multi-media structural installation, Folsom Street Interchange, San Francisco, California (1996)
• “Venetanas de Devocion,” Day of the Dead window installation, Café Fanari, San Francisco, California (1995)
• “the things she left behind,” site specific installation, Belcher Gallery, San Francisco, California ((1995)
• “The Healing Fields,” site specific installation/performance project, Process, San Francisco, California (1993)

Selected Group Exhibitions

• “WTO: The Aftermath,” photographic work, Media Alliance Gallery, San Francisco, California (1999)
• “Saints, Icons & Alter-egos, Redefining the Art of Devotion,” curated by Tere Romo, sculptural installation, MACLA Center for Latino Arts, San Jose, California (1998)
• “Cultura: The Chicano Experience,” small scale installations, Balazo Gallery, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Funhouse Ranch,” small scale installation, Pro Arts Gallery, Oakland, California (1998)
• “Post-Postcard II,” 2-dimensional interactive work, Four Walls Gallery, San Francisco, California (1997)
• “All Saints/All Souls: Altar-ed Images,” sculpture, Falkirk Cultural Center, San Rafael, California (1996)
• “New Work,” 23/ dimensional work, Can Gallery, Oakland, California (1996)
• “The Last Frontier,” two-dimensional work, Western States Juried Competition, Center for the Visual Arts, Oakland, California, Juror, George Rivera (1995)
• “Another Life Up Inside Her Head,” photographic installation, Galería de la Raza (1995)
• “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings,” two-dimensional work, Monterey Bay Women’s Caucus for Art, Galería Tonnantzin, San Juan Bautista, California (1994)
• “Art as a Healing Force; Personal Transformation,” sculptural installation, Bade Museum, Berkeley, California (1994)

Selected Performance

• “Hexterminators,” initiated in 1998, ongoing street-based performance troupe of 22 performance artists, visual artists, scientists, videographers, various locations (1999)
• “Spirit of Lilli Ann, Murdered Mural,” Street-based performance, San Francisco (1998)
• “Anima House,” part of Cabaret Fatale Women Performer’s Festival, Artists Television Access, San Francisco, California (1998)
• “Reversal of Fortune,” Galería de la Raza, San Francisco, California (1996)
• “The Healing Fields,” street based performance series, San Francisco, California (1993)

Honors and Awards

• Commissioned Artist, “Here/There,” Public Art Project, City of Oakland, California (2000)
• Historic Preservation Award, Oakland Heritage Alliance, Fruitvale Public Art Project (1999)
• Activist Web Site Award for www.artactivist.com; digital work; webmistress (1999)
• Commission Award, Fruitvale Public Art Project, Oakland, California (1998)
• Honorable Mention, Western States Arts Federation/National Endowment for the Arts Regional Fellowships for Visual Artists, New Genres (1996)
• Residency Grant, Tenderloin Housing Clinic, San Francisco, California (1995)