Have you ever wanted to see a police car set on fire? You may soon have the chance to, albeit the car in question is made of pulped paper. Artist Adela Goldbard’s “The Last Judgment/El Juicio Final,” on view through October 10 at Gallery 400, features papier-mache set pieces mirroring iconic symbols of the Little Village neighborhood—both good and bad. The exhibition combines the history of Mexican effigy-burning traditions with the complexity of carnival to delve into the challenges facing the neighborhood of Little Village today, complete with a flame-filled finale.
“Instead of generating fear, it’s about celebrating traditions and it’s about burning what needs to be eliminated from the community,” she says.
It was crucial to Goldbard that this project be conceived in collaboration with Little Village residents. She spent months meeting with community members and local artists, listening to their concerns and holding art workshops with students. The large papier-mache sculptures featured in the exhibit are based on models from these workshops. Artisans from Artsumex, a collective from Tultepec, Mexico, were flown in to craft the final objects.
Through 10/10, Tue-Fri 10 AM-6 PM, Sat noon-6 PM, and by appointment, Gallery 400, 400 S. Peoria, gallery400.uic.edu.
Pyrotechnic Performance: The Last Judgment Sat 11/2, 6:30 PM, La Villita Park, 2800 S. Sacramento, gallery400.uic.edu, free.
