Paint Pink
Exhibit provides artistic views of breast cancer themes
CALEXICO — The city of Calexico’s participation in breast cancer awareness month culminated Thursday with the seventh annual Paint Pink art exhibit at the Carmen Durazo Cultural Arts Center.
The exhibit premiered in conjunction with the city’s Pretty in Pink luncheon and fashion show that took place Oct. 6, and it ran through Thursday.
The exhibit featured about 20 artworks, including photographs, paintings and digital art. The pieces reflected themes related to breast cancer awareness.
“It didn’t have to be pink, and it didn’t have to be anything specific,” Calexico’s Community Services Director Sandra Tauler said. “It’s anything that the artist determines relates to breast cancer awareness. It’s their interpretation.”
Among the various art pieces in the exhibit were two canvas paintings by Hildy Carrillo, the city’s Chamber of Commerce executive director.
Carillo’s paintings featured rough black and red lines and scribbles that depicted the emotions one may go through when diagnosed with breast cancer.
“She said this was the chaos of when you find out about cancer and how it jumbles your life, and it just destroys the way that you are now and you become a different person because of the shock,” Tauler said of Carrillo’s paintings. Artist Elizabeth Ibarra showcased two of her acrylic paintings, one of which was a predominantly pink and black piece entitled “Armour,” which showed a shirtless woman covering her chest.
“She was telling us that participating in this show was really important because her grandmother passed away from breast cancer, so she always makes it a point to participate in this show,” Tauler said of Ibarra’s paintings. While the city hosts many art exhibits in which local artists can participate throughout the year, such as the Black and White art exhibit that features only black and white art pieces, Tauler said that the Paint Pink exhibit was the city’s art event tied to a specific cause.
“The purpose is to promote breast cancer awareness, so we want people to think of early detection and asking questions and not being embarrassed to go to the doctor or mentioning it to someone that they feel something,” Tauler said.
“We also try to promote that breast cancer is not just a women’s issue; it also happens to men. So we also need to also help educate men because most people think it’s only a women’s problem, and it isn’t.”