Isidro Zepeda’s “Sueños Nepantleros” Opens at Crafton Hills College Art Gallery, Celebrating Connections to People, Nature
Publish Date: Sept. 30, 2023
A new exhibit celebrating the cultural roots of the Mexican people has opened at Crafton Hills College just in time for Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations on campus.
The exhibit, “Sueños Nepantleros,” features the works of Isidro Zepeda, an English professor at Crafton who has celebrated the fabric of his roots through art.
“I think my artwork speaks to this reunion of nature and being present and to not forget the value of the earth, these elements that give human beings life,” Zepeda explained. “I want visitors to feel connected to something they’ve lost connection to.”
“Sueños” opened September 18 in the Crafton Hills College Art Gallery, located in the Learning Resource Center. More than a dozen pieces will be on display until November 2, with a reception and artist talk planned from 1 p.m. till 3 p.m. Wednesday, October 11.
Renée Azenaro an associate arts professor, and gallery curator, said Zepeda’s work deserves to be viewed by the college and student communities because his work is “visually exciting” while touching on spiritual elements. “On view are 15 works of art as well as a video component showing process and the interrelationship of culture, image, and narrative,” she continued.
The visual component, Zepeda shared, is a digital timelapse showing how art can help the viewer process information, find healing, and create connections. “This is my favorite part of the exhibit because of how it was conceptualized,” he explained. “It was created like a tunnel-type of construct so at the end, you have this image projected that shows everything come together.
“It starts when you close your eyes; it’s dark and somehow between that darkness we begin to dream. We see people, we see trees…, we can see many things,” Zepeda continued. “There’s a spectrum of dreaming that has become my favorite part [of the exhibit] because it gives us an opportunity to see the materialization of our dreams and how we help nurture that part ourselves.”
The projector piece – much like Zepeda’s other works on display –gives viewers a deeper connection to humanity and what is made possible by connecting to our dreams. “We need to remind ourselves that connection is part of the nature that is life,” he said.
Zepeda has been part of the Crafton Hills College family for years, serving in the same capacity as both a part-and-full-time staff member. The 38-year-old Cathedral City resident was a first-generation college student who holds a master’s degree from Cal State San Bernardino. His parents immigrated from Mexico to the U.S. before meeting at a packing plant in Cathedral City, and the exhibit serves as a visual representation of his family’s Mexican roots and the importance of embracing our own connections to the past and present.
“To me, this art show celebrates our indigenous Cosmo vision and invites those of us who are rooted in the history to remember it and who we are,” Zepeda shared. “And for those who are not rooted in this history, I hope it inspires them to become rooted in their own history while acknowledging the systems and policies and practices that continue to oppress our people.
“I want this exhibit to unify people because at the end of it all, it is nature that connects us, it’s the spirit that connects us. And if we can remember that I think it will make us all better human beings overall,” he added.
The Crafton Hills College Art Gallery is open from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Admission is free. To learn more, go to www.craftonhills.edu/ art-gallery or call 909-389-3353.
