International Artists Gather In West Palm Beach For Social Justice Exhibition

ConstitutionX : Our Human Rights Exhibition brings together 23 International Artists and 2 organizations unite for Social Justice and awareness. The exhibition includes a series of visual art presentations, theatrical performances, performance art, films, workshops, artists talks and video curated by Rolando Chang Barrero, Daynalis Gonzalez, and Sonia Baez-Hernandez. All three are artist/curators have long established their presence in the the art world as leaders of social justice art.

The exhibition opens on September 28, the anniversary date that The U.S. Congress voted to send the new Constitution of the United States to the state legislatures for their approval and closes on the anniversary of the election of Abraham Lincoln the author of The Emancipation Proclamation.

Artists in all media will unite to respond to the various "CONs" that have been revealed during the current political climate in the United States and perceived as a blatant disregard of our "X" basic guaranteed freedoms presented in the Constitution of The United States' Bill of of Rights.

Among the 23 International Artists which are included are Rolando Chang Barrero (US), Lisu Vega (Venezuela), Muu Blanco (Venezuela), Donna Ruff, Diane Arrieta , Ruben Riviera Matos, Sonia Baez-Hernandez (D.R), Narciso Martinez (Mex.), Maria Lino (Cuba), Sunny Marquez (P.R.), Edouard Duval-Carrié (Haiti), Lisu Vega (Venezuela), Muu Blanco (Venezuela), Diane Khalo, Ruben Riviera Matos, Izel Vargas, Zonia Zena, and others. Please see blog for complete list of artists: https://palmbeachfineartgallery.blogspot.com/2019/09/the-art-and-artists-of-constitution-x.html

These art interventions address a range of narratives regarding immigration and our basic human rights. The inclusion of the varieties media included in this exhibition we hope extends the dialogue of what art and activism can and does look like when it merges. Its purpose and intent is to introduce, inform and educate the viewer of some of the most powerful work being created in the social justice arena and to share the issues and the experiences of the artists which shapes, not only their work, but their very lives.- Rolando Chang Barrero

Special presentations by:

Guatemalan Maya Center will be presenting the "Voice Project" The video will feature Father Frank O'loughlin, Darren Steptoe, Daniel Morgan, Sara B., Amalia H. The video is about migration from Guatemala to Lake Worth in the 80s and the new wave of people that have come through the Center and some of the barriers they face. The idea is to hear their stories directly from their mouth and hear about their experiences.

In the 1980s, at the height of the Guatemalan genocide, many indigenous migrant workers were facing harassment from employers while struggling to find their place in a new home. The founders of the Guatemalan-Maya Center lobbied and advocated for the migrant community, gaining numerous victories throughout the past three decades, including securing special agricultural work visas for nearly 1,000,000 people.

Thanks to a grant from the Palm Beach County Health Department, The Guatemalan-Maya Center was officially incorporated in 1992. With just a staff of 5 and a van, we began driving mothers with limited access to the health services and prenatal care to their doctor visits - interpreting both language and culture.

Years later, we continue to accompany the immigrant communities of South Florida, and have expanded our programs to serve over 1,000 people each month from more than 28 different countries.

We Count!

a grassroots membership organization in Homestead, Florida, founded in 2006 and dedicated to promoting the rights and well-being of the immigrant community through education, support and collective action.

Help build the power of Latin American immigrants and farm workers in Homestead with a generous tax-deductible contribution in support of WeCount! Donations can be made at www.we-count.org.

Sandra L. Portal-Andreu (Performance Artist/Choreographer/Educator) is a Miami native of Cuban/Colombian descent who began her dance experience at the Mirochnik Ballet Institute under the direction of Madelyn Alfonso. Later, she trained intensively in the Vaganova Technique with Ballet Master Vladimir Issaev. Under Issaev's direction with the Arts Ballet Theater of South Florida, she performed as soloist in The Nutcracker, Le Corsaire, Ballet Concerto, and Suite of Waltzes No.1. She received an A.A. from New World School of the Arts, a B.F.A. in Dance from Florida State University, and a M.S. in Movement Sciences from Barry University.