Exhibition proposal submitted to the Heard Museum. The acclaimed exhibition "BARELA: Remembering a Village Artist," held in cooperation with the Centro Cultural de la Raza, brings to life the illustrious carving career of Patrocinio Barela, recognized nationally as the most important mid-20th century Mexican-American artist. His unique self-taught sculpting style is representative of both the New Mexican santero and the American modernist traditions. Barela's distinctive wood sculptures, described as modern yet reminiscent of ancient Meso-American roots, have been collected by all of New Mexico's major museums and by numerous private collections around the country. In addition to the captivating collection of wood carvings, the exhibit spotlights paintings and oral histories of the sculptor. Materials provided by family, friends, neighbors and fellow artists, assembled for exhibit goers in audio format, vividly capture the life and times of Barela from his childhood in Taos in the early 1900s to his work as an itinerant laborer during the Great Depression to his early successes supported by the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Barela was just reaching artistic acclaim when he died in a studio fire in 1964. A small selection of works by recognized artists influenced by Barela, including the late Luz Martinez and Leo Salazar of Taos, and carver Ralph Suazo of Taos Pueblo, are also part of this compelling exhibition. Noted Taos artist Ed Sandoval's special oil-on-canvas portrait, entitled "BARELA, 1996" was created for the exhibition, which was made possible by grants from the Rockefeller Foundation, the M.A. Healy Family Foundation, the Dharma Foundation and New Mexico Arts. Vicente A. Martinez, a recognized Barela scholar, is the project director for the two-year, six-museum tour, while the Millicent Rogers Museum in Taos, New Mexico, provides the institutional base and serves as fiscal agent for the project. (from La Prensa San Diego, 2/4/00).
