Unearthed
SEPTEMBER 21 through October 19, 2024
We are thrilled to announce the first of Residency’s Curator Project Series with the upcoming exhibition, “Unearthed: An Exploration of Identity and Community,” curated by Ashley Stone. This special project will feature exceptional works of four talented artists: Abigail Albano-Payton, Mylee Etuale, Gabe Medina, and Mandla Senzanje. This captivating exhibition, opening Saturday, September 21, 2024, promises a thought-provoking journey into the intricate layers of identity and self-awareness through a vibrant exploration of personal narratives and cultural backgrounds.
“Unearthed” is testament to the power of storytelling through art. Each artist, with their unique style and choice of mediums, offers a distinct perspective on the complexities of identity. From Mylee Etuale’s exploration of her connection to Samoa to Gabe Medina’s vibrant homage to his Mexican-American identity, this exhibition promises an array of experiences and perspectives. Visitors can expect to encounter a diverse range of artworks, including paintings and ceramics.
Installation Images
COMING SOON
About the Artists
MYLEE ETUALE
Mylee Etuale is a Samoan-American painter from Carson, California. Her work examines cultural elements and memories from her time spent on the island. Her narrative paintings combine organic scenery with elements of domesticity by way of collage, drawing, and painting. Etuale received her BA in Studio Art from California State University, Dominguez Hills in 2024.
GABE MEDINA
Born and based in South Central Los Angeles, Gabe Medina is a Mexican-American artist and community organizer. Informed by his own familial history much of his work addresses Mexican-American identity, cultural hybridity and historical traditions. Drawn to his family’s agricultural practices and domestic symbols such as wrought iron fences, Medina unearths his cultural identity through the lens of his South Central home. Working with ceramics and clay-based installation Medina re-defines historical perspectives of Mexican im/migration and encourages others to contemplate their experiences of navigating dual cultural identities in the United States.
Medina has exhibited at Santa Ana College Gallery (2024) Brea Gallery (2024), Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles (2024), Monte Vista Projects (2023), The Mistake Room (2023), South Gate Museum and Art Gallery (2023) and Portuguese Bend Projects (2023). Medina co-curated and organized Seen at Office Hours, an artist-led space in Carson, CA (2023) and is a Arts for LA 2024 ACTIVATE Protege Mentee. Medina received his B.A. in Studio Art from California State University Dominguez Hills (2023).
MANDLA SENZANJE
Mandla Senzanje is a self-taught artist born and raised in Harare, Zimbabwe, whose work brings forth a unique narrative on African life. Born amidst the rich cultural tapestry of Zimbabwe and having traversed borders and experienced life in Namibia and Tanzania, Mandla's artistic journey is a testament to his diverse encounters across the African continent. His works serve as a poignant exploration of everyday African lives, particularly emphasizing the nuances of Southern African existence. Mandla's artistic lens delves beyond the surface, celebrating the moments of togetherness, joy, and resilience within the African community. His work is a powerful advocacy for the richness of African culture, shedding light on everyday rituals and traditions.
ABIGAIL ALBANO-PAYTON
Dallas based visual artist, Abigail Albano-Payton creates densely layered representations of her own family members, friends and interiors of homes in the midst of human connection. Albano-Payton continues to explore her two different cultural backgrounds through giving a glance on how those close to her cultivate relationships with the land, environments and people that they know to be home. Her work is created with the intent to give comfort and a glimpse into the still moments that we often view as mundane or unrelative to our everyday lives.
Albano-Payton’s academic training on the human form and portraiture has allowed her to push illustrative boundaries while still taking on representational art. Her work introduces overlapping and intrusive patterns into the human form, representing her fascination with the symbiotic relationship we have with the resources that surround us.
Albano-Payton has exhibited with Saatchi Art and is a close collaborator with Laguna Beach-based paint company, Tomorrow’s Artist. She is a represented Illustrator for the Andrea Brown Literary Agency, and her first picture book will be published by Harper Collins in 2025.