Words Hurt; Art Heals
Film Sheds Light on Derogatory Expression that Hastened a Community’s Deterioration and How Its Citizens Came Together
Tijuaneados Anonimos Film Screening and Discussion,
In Conjunction with You Are Breathing In It! Alternative Art Practices
Thursday, August 23rd, 2012
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Free to the Public
For more information, visit www.riversideartmuseum.org/YABII
Riverside CA – The Riverside Art Museum is pleased to announce a free screening of the acclaimed film, “Tijuaneados Anonimos,” by the Tijuana-based art collective ‘bulbo,’ followed by a short discussion on Thursday, August 23rd, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. in one of the two galleries housing the companion exhibition, You Are Breathing In It! Alternative Art Practices (July 14 – September 22, 2012), sponsored by The James Irvine Foundation, the City of Riverside, Altura Credit Union, and Burgess Moving and Storage. This special screening will end with members of bulbo leading a discussion on Chicano community and the arts. Renowned curator and artist Karla Diaz, of Slanguage Studios based out of Wilmington, California, organized this exhibit.
“The art collective bulbo seeks to address and rebuild the struggling art culture in the Tijuana area, which has been further catalyzed by the popularization of the term Tijuaneado as a derogatory expression towards the products and people who have come from or passed through the Tijuana region,” says Kathryn Poindexter of the Riverside Art Museum. “They have cleverly adopted the format of the Alcoholics Anonymous organization in order to create a safe forum for discussing these issues.”
Bulbo, meaning “light bulb,” began in Tijuana, Mexico, in 2002 and was founded by a group of friends exploring the possibilities of exchange and collaboration while using broadcast media with constructive aims. Each of the collective’s projects lets people, who in their daily lives do not pursue an art practice, take part in a creative process and helps nurture other ways of understanding context. The term Tijuaneado was first used in the newspaper classifieds that advertise vehicles for sale. Listed as a characteristics of the vehicle, they would use the term NOT TIJUANEADO, referring to a car that has not been in Tijuana and as a result, has not been exposed to the adverse conditions of the city, like holes in the street, lots of dust, humidity, and the lack of regular of maintenance. This term is now used to describe a person or object that has suffered from existing or living in Tijuana. As a result of the Tijuaneado phenomenon, the life of individuals and the community has deteriorated.
In 2009, bulbo produced the feature-length documentary film, Tijuaneados Anonimos: A Tear Drop, a Smile, to tell the story of how a group of citizens took a peaceful approach towards a violent situation. The film also sparked the creation of the song titled “Corrido del Ciudadano” to send out the message that “the city is the sum of its people”. The song was recorded in three different versions: Norteño, Cumbia, and Punkabilly. A short segment of Tijuaneados Anonimos, along with signs from the original space, are on view through September 22nd as part of the You Are Breathing In It! exhibition.
“Bulbo is a powerful example of artists using their work to connect and build communities for positive social change,” says Drew Oberjuerge, Executive Director of the Riverside Art Museum. “The message of their work resonates here in the Inland Empire as much as it does in Tijuana – that each one of us is responsible for improving our communities and our cities.”
Tijuaneados Anonimos will be screened on Thursday, August 23rd, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Riverside Art Museum and is free to the public. Members of bulbo will lead a short discussion following the screening. For more information on this event or the You Are Breathing In It! exhibition and programming, please visit: www.riversideartmuseum.org/YABII.
RAM relies on the generosity of members and donors to support its exhibitions, education programs, and special events. A 50-plus-year-old, private, non-profit cultural arts institution housed in a National Historic 1929 building designed by Hearst Castle architect Julia Morgan, the museum welcomes over 50,000 visitors a year. The museum is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. and Sunday, 12:00 noon – 4:00 p.m. For information on exhibits, events, classes, memberships, or sponsorship opportunities, visit www.RiversideArtMuseum.org. Find us on Facebook (www.facebook.com/riversideartmuseum) and Twitter (RAMRiverside).