Current Exhibit:

The City of San Antonio’s program, X Marks the Art, is designed to activate vacant downtown storefronts and underutilized spaces by introducing visually dynamic art installations and happenings, all linked by an online website mapping and other promotional ideas to attract the public to venture out and see art throughout the downtown area.　It is presented by Public Art San Antonio (PASA), a division of the Department for Culture and Creative Development. Installations first began to appear in　Aug. 2011 and has since provided for over 14 rotating installations.　

The most recent round of X Marks the Art installations has been organized by PASA with the services of a lead artist, Cruz Ortiz. The exhibit, collectively entitled Cut and Paste features over 15 installations, representing 22 artists, in 14 vacant downtown properties. The installations will be on view for up to six months beginning in December 2012. Artists responded to a call for proposals that sought out ideas that are loosely linked by the technical and creative possibilities of “cutting” and “pasting” and thematically convey the artist’s expression of living, working and playing in downtown.

1 
Adriana Garcia
Nuptuals
175 E Houston St. (Ticket Booth)

Adriana Garcia has cut intricate illuminated designs of hummingbirds out of paper and vinyl and installed them in the historic ticket booth at the IBC Bank Building. Garcia’s affinity for the birds began when she created the images as a wedding gift. “I heard once that birds were divine gods flying around us, inspiring us… The humming bird is the only bird that can fly up and down, and backward and forward—making them perfect for time travel.” San Antonio born, Garcia earned her BFA from Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, PA and also studied art at La Universidad Politecnica de Valencia in Spain. Adriana has worked extensively as an artist, set designer, educator, actor, editor and graphic designer independently and for various cultural organizations.

2
Robert B. Gonzales
Equal to or Stranger Than Fiction
122 E Houston St.

History is made up of hearsay, tall tales and legends. No state embodies this more than Texas and no other Texas city more than San Antonio. Robert B Gonzales’ piece uses famous quotes of and about these legends and gives them a graphic subversion.  His piece is a hybrid of info-graphic and art. The flat, machine-made precision of the cut vinyl gives these historical tweaks an authority, while the visual manipulation of the facts and images suggests history is a fluid understanding of the past.

3
Esteban Delgado
The Soledad Block Exchange
124 E Houston St.

Delgado is known for his vibrant geometric paintings. For Cut and Paste he has brought a bright, colorful application of corrugated plastic and vinyl to the interior windows of the historic Savoy Building. The colors were chosen to balance the warm stone above and the cool grays at street level. Delgado has an impressive exhibition history throughout San Antonio and is a member of the Lullwood Group, a local art collective that encourages participation, fosters exploration and promotes art discovery in many forms. Delgado was recently selected by Idea Fund to receive support to realize his project Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue that will transform the facades of vacant buildings in small towns in South Texas, including – Alice, Bishop, Falfurrias, Riviera and Robstown – through window installations of bright, colorful compositions and vinyl artwork informed by the history of each structure and the surrounding community. 

4
Rigoberto Luna
Shadowboxers
132 E Houston St.
In 2011, Luna worked with local photographer, Amber Rodriguez, on a photo project documenting boxer and current WBC Champion Joseph Rios. He was introduced to 3 generations of fighters, all of whom continue to stay very active in the sport, as trainers, promoters or boxers. He also witnessed the insane training process, the incredible commitment that fighters, young and old, professional and amateur, put into the sport. His installation sheds light on the San Fernando Gym, its history, its champions, its new generation of fighters and its multi generations of families that have gone unnoticed in its 25 years of existence (Anniversary: Sept 13, 2012, San Fernando Gym is located at 319 W Travis St.). Luna is a full-time graphic designer having studied graphic design at Pratt Institute in NY.

5
Luis Valderas
El  Mariachi Lacho
140 E Houston St. (Book Building)

Luis Valderas’ work explores social and cultural ambiguities. Luis says that his early experiences fueled his interest in Mesoamerican mythology and iconography present in his work where it explores possibilities by isolating and rearranging iconic components of reality. In El Mariachi Lacho, Valderas uses the image of his father dressed in his 1930’s mariachi outfit as an icon and alter ego of the Mexican- American hero navigating modern arrays of socio-political structures based on a reinterpretation of ancient myths, icons, glyphs and design sensibilities. The site specific installation of El Mariachi Lacho presents one image by day and at night turns the storefront window into a light box.  Valderas’ works have been featured in two books; Chicano Art for Our Millennium-2004 and Triumph in Our Communities: Four Decades of Mexican American Art-2005, published by Bilingual Review Press. He also founded and organized a nationally recognized annual group exhibit featuring Latino artists (Project: MASA I, II, and III) an exhibit focusing on Chicano identities. His works are included in the permanent collections of Arizona State University, the University of Texas San Antonio, and the Art Museum of South Texas. 

6
Jenelle Esparza
Us and Them
140 E Houston St. (The Book Building)
To Jenelle Esparza, palmistry is more of an art than a science. “Our hands and palms are common features in everyone yet we each hold a completely individual mark that is unique to every person; not even twins are the same.” Esparza’s installation contains large-scale printed images and vinyl cut outs of palm prints, accompanied by philosophical quotes. The prints emphasize the individual and unique lines of the palms of different people from the community and give everyone a simple portrayal of existence, our life, and our connection with each other through our individuality. Esparza graduated from UTSA in 2010 with a BFA in Photography and has exhibited across San Antonio.

7
Zane Carroll
Thumbs Up Infidels
140 E Houston St. (The Book Building)
Zane Carroll’s installation is a response to his experience as a US Soldier, “Trench art refers to art created by soldiers in the context of warfare with materials available during warfare, reflecting the tastes and philosophies of the generation from which it was created.” As an artist and a soldier himself (serving as a Combat Medic and an Army Engineer) he sees his work as part of an evolution of trench art in a post 9-11 era where the context of warfare has become limitless, impacted by ever more realistic video games and a culture that sees war as a commodity. “The subjects in my work reflect the confusing definition and experience of this new warfare, and how soldiers see and identify themselves in this new context.” The arabic symbol means “infidel,”  a term used by the enemy to negatively describe American Soldiers.  Soldiers have proudly and jokingly embraced the term as sort of a compliment.  They have even used the term to label t-shirts and their bodies with tattoos like a brand name in an effort to reappropriate it.  Carroll finds this custom interesting and wants to talk about that with his work.   Carroll earned his MFA from Texas Tech University and his BFA from Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design in Colorado. He teaches art at Lee High School and is Co-Director and Resident artist at Clamp Light Studios and Gallery.

8
Sage Gibson
Chandelier on Steroids
205 N St. Mary’s
Sage Gibson will be creating an elaborate super-sized chandelier from white corrugated plastic that will be installed in an exposed storefront space enclosed by chain-link fencing. Gibson is an architectural designer and freelance artist who maintains Sage Studio, a large art & design studio and gallery, and has exhibited nationwide. As an artist, Sage says she finds herself constantly reinterpreting the meaning and role of art, and produces works in multiple mediums, with a preference for acrylic painting. Gibson received her BFA from UTSA and her work is influenced by the colors and rhythms of our state and nearby Mexico.

9
Matt Damien Ritchie
Treeriffic
231 E Houston St.
Matt Damien Ritchie’s installation is a vivid three dimensional painting constructed of multiple layers of atmosphere to create a rich backdrop for characters to interact reminiscent of old cartoons. In his artwork he means to create an environment much like a child would. “Within this world anything and everything could happen; it is just dependent on one’s own imagination.” Originally from Virginia, Ritchie received his MFA from the Tyler School of Fine Arts in Pennsylvania, and his BFA from Virginia Commonwealth University. He has also studied at the Savannah College of Art and Design.

10
Aldon Mines
Color Fans
311 E Houston St. (Kress Building)
Aldon Mines is creating a display of colorful mechanical fans displayed at various positions of depth and height. They will be rigged to a motion sensor so that when a viewer approaches the window, the fans will turn on and create an abstract kinetic color arrangement. Mines, who is a graduate of Texas State University, is now a San Antonio-based sculptor who works with wood to create kinetic sculptures with audio components. He helped establish the student-run contemporary art gallery Soda Tooth Contemporary in San Marcos, TX and has participated in numerous local art events such as Luminaria and Artpace’s Chalk it Up.

11
Amada Miller
Sink Hole
313 E Houston St. (Kress Building)
Amada Miller will be cutting large holes in corrugated plastic sheets that continue to get smaller as they go deeper and adhering them together to create depth and dimension creating a piece of art similar to a topographical looking map. At the center of the installation will be a small hole where people who look closely from inside or outside the storefront will be able to see a glimpse of what is happening on the other side. Miller is a painter, printmaker, and graphic designer living in San Antonio Texas. She studied as the San Antonio College of Visual Arts and has exhibited throughout town in spaces such as Fl!GHT Gallery and Blue Star Contemporary. She also owns and operates her own artist-run studio and gallery called Hello Studio.

12
Tommy Hopkins
Mockingbirds and Bluebonnets
110 Broadway
Tommy Hopkins has created an installation that juxtaposes images of Texas flora and fauna with San Antonio’s urban landscape using cut paper, plastics and painting. Hopkins received his Bachelor of Fine Arts in Painting from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 2006 and is currently the Visual Arts Director for the Visual Arts Program at SAY Si, a nationally recognized youth arts program. Hopkins specializes in traditional oil painting techniques and is trained in a variety of disciplines including printmaking, mixed media, and carpentry. His work has been exhibited in galleries and private collections throughout San Antonio.

13
Shannon Gowen
Miss You
315 E Commerce St.
Born in Las Cruces, New Mexico, Shannon Gowen resided in Central Texas for over 20 years before moving to San Antonio. She received her BFA in Studio Art with a focus in Fiber Arts from Texas State University. Her passions include collage, small scale-sculpture, and public and site-specific installation art and community engagement. She’s exhibited throughout San Antonio including Luminaria and Artpace’s Chalk it Up.

14
Aaron Moreno
This Way
315 E Commerce St.
Aaron Moreno is a conceptual visual artist and musician  from San Antonio, Texas. Aaron Moreno prints and cuts multiple layers of an image to form large multi layered photo-realistic pieces. His installation for X Marks the Art is inspired by downtown walks he would take with his grandmother when he was a child. ”As a child I was always amazed at downtown but totally unaware to its dangers. My grandmother would always make me hold her hand at all times. When taking the bus, entering a store, crossing streets, or just walking by her side on the side walk. I thought it was a bit much as a child. Now as a father I have understood what she was trying to do. Each time I visit downtown, I think of her, our hands and downtown’s beauty’s and dangers.” Moreno studied at San Antonio College for Fine Arts. During the summer, Moreno worked as an art educator for at risk students at the 1906 gallery. Moreno also co-founded and was a co-owner of Gravelmouth Gallery, an alternative gallery space that show cased contemporary graffiti and street art. Moreno specializes in acrylic aerosol painting and traditional acrylic painting to form photo-realistic multi-layered paintings. Cutting a single layer stencil can require over 8 hours by hand, and a month to complete an entire painting. Moreno has exhibited all throughout the nation from California to New York and Miami’s Art Basel. He was also involved in the International Poster Show in Rome. In 2007 Aaron Moreno formed the artist collective known as Third Vision Collective based out of San Antonio, Austin and Uvalde Texas. “Well executed thought out paintings are what speak to me. Certain color palettes, materials, and design all come to mind when approaching my art. Being a musician has taught me the art of story telling. I now use the craft of storytelling in my painting.”

15
Chad Gamez and Say Si
Location TBA
This installation is a collaboration between six visual and media arts students from SAY Sí [San Antonio Youth Yes] and SAY Si faculty alumni, Chad Gamez. The students have worked with the theme of “Love Letters to San Antonio” and will each express their love of the city through the letters. Being natives of San Antonio, the students have a unique view of growing up in the city and have each developed their personal love of certain areas, natural environments, architectural spaces, cultural and iconic imagery, and realities found throughout the city not easily accessible to other local or visiting citizens. Excerpts of the love letters will be on display as text and illustrated imagery through symbols, photos, graphics, and found objects.

X Marks the Art appreciates the participation of our downtown property partners:
DH Realty, Hixon Properties, Peloton Commercial Real Estate, REATA Property Management Inc., Service Lloyd’s Insurance Co., Transwestern, Zurich Properties

Special thanks to City of San Antonio City Councilman Diego M. Bernal

For information about X Marks the Art, contact PASA
Public Art Specialist – Marissa Laubscher
210-207-1435  -   marissa.laubscher@sanatnonio.gov