'Cuéntame': A project capturing the oral history of elders in San Ysidro

Curated by: Yvette Roman and Natalia Ventura 

Cuéntame is an Far South, Border North campaign created by Yvette Roman and natalia ventura. The campaign aims to strengthen borderlands consciousness through intergenerational relationship-building, storytelling, and art-making. For our final exhibition we intend to display artwork, documentation and audio captured throughout 2023-2024. As a collective, Cuéntame invited emerging artists from San Diego and Tijuana to collaborate on an exhibition capturing the oral history of elders in our San Ysidro community living at Villa Merced. Nine emerging artists will display artwork at The Front Arte y Cultura. Six of the artists were selected through a call for entry, one is our Cuentame intern, and two are FS/BN grantees.

Dates:

• Opening Reception: 5-7 p.m. June 1
• Elder Brunch: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 6
• Closing Reception: 6-8 p.m. June 7

Artist’s Statement: Yvette and natalia created Cuéntame as a way to honor the labor and legacy of elders in their San Diego border communities. Cuéntame is a community project that uses art as a method for capturing, archiving, and telling the stories of elders. The project aims to build generational bonds, pass on generational wisdom, strengthen a sense of belonging, and create meaningful opportunities for artists in our border community. Our hope is that the relationship formed between the artists, elders, and viewers in this process contributes to a stronger borderlands consciousness in each generation, and ultimately a more empowered border community.

Related links:
The Front Arte & Cultura website | Instagram | Facebook