Cabrillo Gallery will open its first in-person exhibition of 2022 on Monday, with a show exploring the ways in which human beings see and express their own identities.
“Who We Are: Portraying Identity” will feature 38 artworks, from paintings and photography to mixed media and textiles. Gallery Director Beverly Rayner said that the show’s range is vast, likely due to the complex nature of identities.
“There’s everything from really humorous stuff to really serious stuff,” Rayner said. “Some of it represents more of a cultural or group identity, others are about gender identity … So it’s very personal.”
Rayner said she had been thinking about doing a show based on this theme for a while.
“It’s been high on my list for a long time,” she said. “It’s a big topic. And it’s on people’s minds … We hope people [who visit] see themselves and feel represented. and also feel empathy for others, and their realities. Identity is so complex. There are so many ways you shape, or recognize your identity in the world.”
Added Program Coordinator Victoria May: “There are a lot of unusual pieces that might make people dig a little deeper. Identity can be a sort of narrative … What narratives do we hold, deny, or tell ourselves?”
An open call for artists resulted in about 300 entries to choose from. Juror Pauli Ochi of Ochi Projects in Los Angeles, along with Rayner and May, made the selections. A virtual Juror’s Talk with Ochi will be held March 12 at 4pm.
“We chose Pauli to juror because her gallery represents a lot of artists who deal with the theme of identity,” said Rayner. “So we figured she’d be in tune with what we wanted to do.”
Both Rayner and May expressed how glad they were to be back in the gallery, seeing and experiencing art in person.
“When we get the pieces in the mail, open them up … it’s like, ‘Wow!’” May said. “Certain art has so much more vibrance, textures … There’s such a different feeling, seeing these works in person.”
“Who We Are: Portraying Identity” runs through April 8. Library Building: Room 1002, Cabrillo College, 6500 Soquel Drive. Monday-Friday, 9am-4pm; Monday and Tuesday evenings, 7–9pm. Free admission.
Street parking or paid parking available in student/visitor lots. Guests must follow Cabrillo’s Covid-19 protocols.
