The City will unveil a new art and literature space at the SSgt. Salvador J. Lara Casa Blanca Library Thursday morning, bringing works by local muralists, celebrated Chicano artists, and prominent Latino authors to the predominantly Mexican-American neighborhood.
The "Ojos del Tiempo" (Eyes of Time) exhibit opens at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 2, at the library at 2985 Madison Street. The installation includes a museum-style display on the history of the Casa Blanca neighborhood, bilingual stories, and rotating art exhibits featuring both local and nationally recognized artists.
The exhibit is presented by Councilmember Sean Mill, Riverside County Supervisor Jose Medina, Friends of the Riverside Library, and the City of Riverside Library Department.
"We know that when kids see themselves reflected in their learning environment, it boosts their self-esteem, engagement, and academic success," Mill told the Gazette. "This installation is an effort to bring that to life with art, literature and other materials that reflect life in Casa Blanca and other Latino communities."
Rotating exhibits will feature works by Casa Blanca muralist Juan Navarro and Jesse Aleman, who creates art using succulent plants, alongside celebrated figures including muralist Judy Baca and Mexican painter Jose Clemente Orozco. Authors represented in the space include Sandra Cisneros, Luis Alberto Urrea, Gloria Anzaldua, and Reyna Grande.
Casa Blanca is one of California's oldest Mexican-American communities, tracing its origins to the labor camps that housed citrus workers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
For more information, visit riversideca.gov or call the Casa Blanca Library at 951-826-2120.
