(Seguin) — Teatro De Artes De Juan Seguin today will be unveiling the the second of three-traveling co-community creation of art exhibits made possible thanks to a $50,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) under the Our Town program.
The exhibit, “Roots of Resilience: The African American Experience in Seguin through Art and Legacy,” was created by renowned National Endowment for the Arts artist Howard Crunk. The art experience will be available for viewing today from 5:30 to 7 p.m. in the Texas Lutheran University Kraushaar Gallery.
In collaboration with the city of Seguin, Seguin Public Library, and Seguin Main Street Program, Dr. Yvonne De La Rosa, Teatro De Artes executive director, says the Our Town community art project focuses on amplifying the voices and stories of Seguin’s communities of color, including African American, Mexican American/Tejano, and Native American/Indigenous communities.
“Howard has captured the African American experience with every stroke of a brush, through stories he heard and through his own personal research of learning more about the community he has called home all his life,” said De La Rosa. “Howard is a true Son of Seguin, Texas and no one else could have captured the stories that will be unveiled.”
Crunk who has studied and worked under elite local artists and mentors such as painter/sculptor Roger Betschler and famous wood sculptor Marika Carmel Bordes, shared, “I am humbled knowing that I am but a small bookmark in the story of time and know that I can leave my own personal impact along with those whom their stories guide the impact I leave. It gives me peace and I know it is to honor those that came before me.”
The NEA Our Town art exhibition will circulate throughout the Seguin community, making stops at local schools, museums, banks, businesses, universities, non-profit organizations, and other public spaces for all to enjoy.
Seguin Mayor Donna Dodgen says the city is honored to be a partner in this wonderful project.
“We encourage community members to join us for the unveiling of Crunk’s artwork and be part of a celebration that honors Seguin’s shared history and diverse population,” said Dodgen.
The exhibit will remain in the gallery until Friday, March 21, 2025.
Prior to the unveiling event, there will be a reception held at TLU’s Kraushaar Art Gallery from 5:30 to 6 p.m., followed by a Bramaya West African Dance, poetry reading, and a Gospel choir compilation inside Wuppermann Little Theatre.
The TLU art gallery is located inside Wupperman Little Theatre located at 517 Prexy Drive.
The final Our Town art installation by Mexican American/Tejano artist Debora Kuetzpal Vásquez will be unveiled Saturday, May 3, at 2 pm at Teatro’s Cultural Arts Center, Located at 921 W. New Braunfels St. in Seguin.
Teatro adds a special thanks to the following collaborators, sponsors, and donors. They include Sharon Grant, Texas Lutheran University Associate Professor of History and Director of African American Studies; Wilson Pottery Foundation; John and Joni Sager; the Steering Committee for the Annetta Kraushaar Gallery; and Kyle Olson, Texas Lutheran University Gallery Coordinator and Assistant Professor in the Department of Visual Arts.