Every three months, the sound of light-hearted laughter and lively discussions about art fill the halls of what might at first seem an unexpected art show venue: the Bethany Center Senior Housing complex in the Mission.
On Sept. 20, residents of the Bethany Center mingled with artists and other community members to discuss art, culture and politics at Ruth’s Table’s eighth art exhibit, Finos Detalles.
“For young artists to show their work here, intermingle and help seniors look at life in a different way is very helpful because it lets them know that the younger generation is interested in them,” said Jerry Brown, executive director of the Bethany Center. “[The seniors] appreciate the energy and we always appreciate the intergenerational conversations that happen.’’
Three years ago, the once-unoccupied ground floor of the senior residence complex was transformed into “Ruth’s Table,” a creative meeting space that derived its name from a sturdy wooden table donated to the center by acclaimed artist Ruth Asawa.
Symbolic of the center’s mission of fostering artistic expression while connecting senior residents with the community, the table once stood in Asawa’s house and seated artists, poets, community members and even the mayor, said Lola Fraknoi, director of community programs at the Bethany Center.
“Ruth challenged the idea that poets are with poets, and old people with old people. What she believed and what I am trying to institute here is the idea that artists and people of all ages can work together to create projects,” Fraknoi said. “We have different generations coming together—the table is representative of that. It is always in the middle, a gathering ground for all people.”
Providing avant-garde exhibitions and workshops, as well as exercise, music and art programs, Ruth’s Table changes its art exhibitions every three months in an effort to represent the cultures of the residents and create a sense of community through art, according to Fraknoi.
In accordance with Hispanic Heritage month, the exhibit featured the works of nine up-and-coming Bay Area artists—ranging from intricate installations to paintings and screen prints— that challenge preconceived artistic, generational and cultural perceptions.
Though each artist’s work was as diverse as the audience in attendance, the common thread and underlying theme of the exhibit was the celebration of handcrafted art and its traditional role in Latin America.
“I liked the idea that in Latin America there is a tradition of handmade objects,” said Juan Luna-Avin, a multidisciplinary artist and the exhibit’s curator, explaining that Finos Detalles was the title of a refurbished furniture store sign that he once came across in a book. “I always thought it was a catchy title—kind of ridiculous.”
Among an installation of rusty cassette tapes and transgendered handmade dolls, Mexican artist Julio Cesar Morales’ exhibit was one of the more subtle pieces of the night.
His soft watercolor drawing on canvas seemingly depicted a child inside of the Disney character “Shrek,” but in reality the illustration serves as a dramatic commentary on illegal immigration.
“This drawing depicts crossing attempts to the United States,” Morales said, explaining that the illustration he calls “Undocumented Interventions #18,” shows a child in a life-sized, custom-made Piñata and is part of an ongoing series of hand-colored paintings documenting human trafficking across the U.S.-Mexican border. “To me, watercolors are soft and beautiful, so I wanted to create an illustration that counteracts that harsh reality.”
Morales, originally from Tijuana, said that his work is also greatly influenced by “traditional Mexican art making.”
“I think the thematics of the exhibit really reflect the pieces that were chosen tonight—that everything does have an actual handmade quality and requires imperfection, because the hand is imperfect,” he added.
Imperfection and craftiness, along with a dose of humor, were prominent themes in the work displayed by Oakland-based artist Angelica Muro.
Muro showcased six handmade dolls based on characters that frequent a club in Downtown San Jose, called Club Lido.
“What I found really fascinating about this club is how they embrace marginalized cultures,” Muro said, describing the venue as having an unlikely mix of Latino and Vietnamese patrons, along with a Latino transgender culture and an industrial punk scene. “It transcends culture, gender, sexual identity, race and class.”
Inspired by her observations, her childhood excursions to flea markets and the longstanding tradition of handmade dolls in Latin America, Muro used “found elements”—fabrics and materials that were already available to her—to create her dolls.
“I made drawings and transferred them onto fabrics with a heat adhesive and applied gold-leaf and a trim to some of them,” Muro said. “I wanted the stitching to show, because part of the beauty is the imperfection, and how the imperfection is showcased and embraced.”
For many of the participants, the conversations elicited by the featured art were reason enough to return for the next exhibit.
“What I like about the artists here is that they introduce life into what so often would be just a humdrum senior residence,” participant Bob Temple said. The 85-year-old does not live at the Bethany Center, yet he says he comes to every art show. “It’s been a very forward-looking work which they’ve been doing here.”