The following was sent via press release by Falls Church Arts at 2:57 p.m.
For immediate release — Rebecca Perez’s woodblock print “Doña” has received the Falls Church Arts’ Juror’s Choice Award. The prize is sponsored by Art & Frame of Falls Church, 307 Annandale Road, Falls Church.
Perez’s piece, which is available at Falls Church Arts for $900, is a 28” x 40” woodblock print. Perez says about her piece, “Doña is a response to a longing for home and how I fit in my family’s maternal line. This woodblock print features a bata (Spanish, [“housedress” in English]) which is traditionally worn by Latinas while doing housework. This garment is a common and powerful symbol for myself and many others of Latin heritage. I had vivid memories of my grandmothers and great-grandmothers wearing them. I am working on a series of mixed media paintings exploring this symbolism to discuss familial support and comfort, female connections and biology, and cultures within culture.”
The piece was chosen by juror, Fabiola R. Delgado, who commented “The Juror’s Award is presented to “Doña” by Rebecca Perez, for the heartfelt portrayal of familial bonds, cultural heritage, and the comfort found within the home. This artwork symbolically captures the strength of women’s lineage, evoking memories of matriarchs through its depiction of the bata, eloquent in its simplicity. The woodblock print embodies softness, force, and endurance. Each indentation and detail illustrates the intricate dynamics of women’s roles, revealing a blend of visible and invisible labor in the process; and just as the image transfers from the block to the paper, so is the wisdom transferred from one generation to another. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition.”
The show runs through January 7, 2024.
The gallery of Falls Church Arts is at 700-B West Broad St. (Route 7), Falls Church. The gallery is open Tuesday-Friday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.
Artworks can also be viewed online at www.fallschurcharts.org. All pieces can be purchased at the gallery or on the website.
For media inquiries contact: Pamela Huffman, 703-362-4078
Facebook: www.facebook.com/fallschurarts
Instagram: @fallschurcharts