MinerAlert
MinerAlert
Les Sembrantes (The Sowers) is an exhibition rooted in the living memory of the Chihuahuan Desert, showcasing artistic practices that cultivate sustainable futures by honoring the land's complex systems. It presents new work by select artists from La Semilla Food Center's annual Desert Cultural Fellowship, serving as an invocation that shifts our focus from consumption to connection. Curated by Henry Alfonso Schulte and organized by the Rubin Center for the Visual Arts in collaboration with La Semilla, this project explores the art of sowing—planting not only seeds, but futures. The works presented here are extensions of land based practices, pedagogical experiments, and cultural memory, rooted in agroecology and food justice. The exhibition foregrounds storytelling as an act of survival and transformation, arguing that holistic knowledge—the wisdom of a complicated, interconnected system—is best shared through narrative and embodied practice.
As sembrantes, the four featured artists honor those who intentionally labor. They challenge extractive systems and cultivate collective sovereignty. Janette Terrazas, a visionary textile artist from Ciudad Juárez, transforms complex data on climate change and social crises into powerful woven narratives of resilience and hope. Amalia Mondragón, a queer two spirit vocalist, multi instrumentalist, and narrative strategist, infuses the exhibition with the counter culture spirit and deep heritage of the tri state borderlands. Glassmaker Juan Pablo Hernandez offers a distinct material lens on the desert's complex ecosystem. Finally, Eva Gabriella Flynn, a Chicana interdisciplinary artist, weaves historical narratives and personal experiences directly into the landscapes of the American Southwest. By showcasing artists whose practices embody this pedagogy of place, Les Sembrantes asserts that the border's edge is a fertile ground for understanding the whole. It is a living archive, a call to action, and a bold assertion: The soil will save us, if we save it. In honoring the sembrantes, we honor the possibility of a future cultivated with intention, rooted in justice, and nourished by the wisdom of land and community.
Les Sembrantes: A Celebration of Desert Foodways Culture
Thursday, February 05 | 5 – 7 pm
Treat your senses to the sights, sounds, and tastes of desert foodways—how we grow, prepare, and share food in our desert region. This event highlights the arts and cultural practices of local agroecology as experienced by the intergenerational practitioners of the La Semilla Food Center community. Come celebrate the stories, knowledge, and creative traditions that honor the people and practices sustaining our desert foodways.
The Art and Flavor of Desert Foods at the MACC
Saturday, February 21 | 11 am –1:30 pm | Location: Mexican American Cultural Center
Local foods practitioners will guide participants through hands-on cooking workshops at the Mexican American Cultural Center, highlighting the rich flavors, techniques, and traditions of desert foodways. Participants will have the opportunity to taste, learn, and connect with the region’s heritage in a welcoming, community-centered setting.
Corrido Workshop with Amalia Mondragón
Wednesday, March 25 | 12 – 2:30 pm
Explore Corrido storytelling with Latin Grammy-nominated Amalia Mondragón / Tereso Perfecto Contreras. Learn Corrido history, music, and writing while creating collective songs that amplify underrepresented voices, honor cultural memory, and reclaim the stories of Mexico and its borderlands.
Plumas, Colores, y Vida en El Río Bravo
Saturday, March 28 | 11 am – 1:30 pm | Location: Rio Bosque Park
Artist Janette Terrazas leads an afternoon program at Rio Bosque Park, exploring the landscapes that inspire her work. The experience begins with birdwatching and a gentle walk, observing the rhythms of the ecosystem, and continues with a cochineal pH workshop, where participants test river water and see how art and science intersect in agroecology.
The Art and Flavor of Desert Foods at the MACC
Saturday, April 04 | 11 am – 1:30 pm | Location: Mexican American Cultural Center
Local foods practitioners will guide participants through hands-on cooking workshops at the Mexican American Cultural Center, highlighting the rich flavors, techniques, and traditions of desert foodways. Participants will have the opportunity to taste, learn, and connect with the region’s heritage in a welcoming, community-centered setting.
Farm Blessing and Community Planting
Saturday, Apr 11 | 8:30 am – 12 pm | Location: La Semilla Community Farm
Join us for a special event honoring the land, its cycles, and its synergies as we mark the planting season at La Semilla Community Farm alongside farmers and food culture practitioners of all ages. La Semilla’s farmers will guide a community planting day accompanied by performances, food, and collective intention setting.