BMoCA is proud to partner with Motus Theater to present two consecutive exhibitions in Present Box featuring visual artists Cindy Loya and Victor Escobedo paired with UndocuAmerica monologists Kiara Chávez and Cristian Solano-Córdova. This partnership aims to de-escalate divisive beliefs surrounding immigration policies by amplifying intergenerational, family-centric narratives reimagined through alternative media, including quilting and puppetry.

About the Artist
Victor Escobedo has developed a compelling style expressed in various forms of expression through the use of ceramic masks, marionettes, murals, paintings, and performances rooted in reimagined ancient iconography with dynamically textured installations. Heavily influenced by Hip Hop, graffiti, and culture Escobedo explores mythology, intuition and Shamanistic practices as inspiration for contemporary transformation. His artwork is a reinterpretation of ancient, indigenous art and mysticism for a contemporary audience, that integrates seemingly unrelated disciplines in search of something universal.

Motus Theater creates original theater to facilitate community conversations on critical issues of our time.Working at the intersection of storytelling and public policy, Motus uses the power of art to build alliances across diverse segments of our community and country. In 2022, Motus received Westword’s Best Theater Company Programming award.

UndocuAmerica: Reclaiming Our Presence: In 2022, muralist Edica Pacha installed 12 murals in Colorado featuring 10 different Motus Theater UndocuAmerica project monologists with DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals). The murals were accompanied by QR codes linking directly to videos of the monologists sharing their stories. Some murals were targets of vandalism fueled by anti-immigrant sentiment. Reclaiming Our Presence is an empowering and healing response in which the undocumented community can feel their stories and lives uplifted in the face of erasure and aggression. It affirms community power with the message that, when community members get hurt, we have the opportunity and the responsibility to coalesce, heal, and come back stronger.

In addition to Escobedo’s artwork, Motus Theater will be presenting images of the original murals on postcards, each with a QR code linking to videos of the UndocuAmerica monologists telling their personal stories. As a community, we have the opportunity and responsibility to coalesce, heal, and come back stronger. You can be a part of this healing response by mailing the UndocuAmerica stories to your family, friends, and neighbors.

About Present Box:
Present Box is a series of temporary exhibitions that invite artists to transform BMoCA’s lobby and front entrance into innovative installations, performances, and events. The site-specific projects are intended to encourage artists to create work outside their comfort zones and to foster interactive participation. Artists are also urged to explore themes that are relevant for our present time.

BMoCA’s Present Box exhibitions are generously supported by the City of Boulder, Boulder Arts Commission, Community Foundation of Boulder County, Scientific & Cultural Facilities District, Colorado Creative Industries, and National Endowment for
the Arts.

May 11 – Reception