March 9 - April 28, 2023
Exhibit
SMAC Gallery
509 W Main Street, Marshall, MN 56258
(Mailing address: PO Box 55)
Regular office hours are:
Monday-Friday 9am-12pm and 1pm-4pm
Andrew & Molly Rivera
Marigolds & Thistle
This show is a celebration of lived experience, heritage, identity, and personal narrative. The title is a reference to the flowers that symbolize each artist as individuals, and the process of self-discovery as we transition through seasons of life.
In-person Artist Reception Thursday, March 30th from 5-7 pm with live music from The Mad Hatters (Lee Kanten & Georgette Jones)
Andrew Rivera:
This body of work is representative of my Mexican heritage and personal culture. My work is inspired by pre-columbian forms, 19th century Mexican printmakers, and personal experience. I reference pre-columbian forms as a connection to my ancestors and to bring to light a deeply misunderstood aspect of history. Printmakers like Jose Guadalupe Posada and Manuel Manilla were a very important aspect of Mexican history. They used imagery to inform a largely illiterate population and helped propel the Mexican revolution. My use of skeleton imagery is rooted in my culture, a reference to these pivotal printmakers, and a caricaturization of death. Mexican culture looks at death very differently than American culture. Death is recognized and embraced by Mexico but feared and not spoken of in the United States. I have struggled with anxiety related to death and this work functions to connect myself and others with Mexican ideals surrounding it. My experience as a Mexican American has informed my work. With this background, food and family are valued highly. My forms are inspired by history, but also by the food and experiences shared in a contemporary setting.
Andrew Rivera received his BFA in Ceramics and Sculpture from The University of Minnesota-Duluth and completed the MN NICE certificate program at Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, MN. Andrew completed a long term residency at The Clay Studio of Missoula. He is currently working out of his home studio and teaching ceramics in the Twin Cities area. Inspired by function, history, design, and culture, his wares reflect on personal identity and his Mexican heritage.
Rivera currently resides in Hutchinson, MN. Andrew is a SMAC grantee, most recently receiving recognition for his work through an Advanced Artist Fellowship in November 2022.
Molly Rivera:
My work explores the objects that adorn our homes and carry meaning through the stories, experiences, and memories that they evoke. The forms I create are inspired by the items that surround us in our everyday life as well as family heirlooms – the objects that are passed down through generations. Much of my imagery stems from my daily lived experiences – the flowers that come up in my garden in Spring or the critters that run past my screen door every morning as the sun rises. I am also inspired by the imagery and history of folktales. Much like our familial objects, folktales were passed down through generations and celebrated day-to-day experiences of humanity. When form and imagery combine, my work highlights the ways we imbue our personal objects with meaning to preserve our stories and memories, informing our personal narratives.
Molly Rivera is a ceramic artist currently residing in Hutchinson, MN. In 2017 she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Minnesota-Duluth and a Master of Fine Arts from the University of Montana in 2020. She has taught several courses at the University of Montana, as well as community classes at Northern Clay Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. In 2018 she was a co-director at FrontierSpace Gallery in Missoula, MT and in 2020 she began working as the Gallery Associate for Clay Coyote Pottery in Hutchinson, MN. Molly is currently the Executive Director for the Hutchinson Center for the Arts. Her work has been exhibited nationally and is part of permanent collections at the Tweed Museum of Art and the Montana Museum of Art and Culture. When she’s not working, Molly spends her time outside gardening and hiking with her pup, or enjoying a meal with friends and family. Molly is a SMAC grantee, most recently she received funding to work on a kiln installation project.
