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Home › News & Events › News › Panama inspires grad student Arias in her art, filmmaking

Panama inspires grad student Arias in her art, filmmaking

September 14, 2022
In collaboration with the indigenous Guna women artisans in Panama, Jacqueline Arias is making their traditional Mola quilts with her own symbolic American iconography and data visualization maps. Here are two of Arias’ mola panels.

By Mike Chesnick
School of Art

Born in Costa Rica, Jacqueline Arias was adopted by American parents and moved to the Panama Canal Zone at age 4. While she only spent three years there before moving to rural Ohio, the experience made a profound impression on the artist, independent filmmaker and educator.

Now a University of Arizona School of Art graduate student, Arias is working with artisan women from Panama — the Guna people — to make traditional mola quilts that incorporate her personal designs and reference borders, military presence and the canal infrastructure.

Jacqueline Arias

One of her videos, “Panama Narratives,” which incorporates the mola mythology, will be shown Sept. 18 at the Arizona Underground Film Festival in downtown Tucson. The short documentary coincides with National Hispanic Heritage Month, which also celebrates Latin America heritage.

Arias’ video explores her childhood experience, the U.S. intervention in the Canal Zone area and the relationship between its residents and the Panamanian and indigenous Guna people.

“I’m drawn to the Guna matriarchal society, where the molas are worn by women as protection, a tradition drawn from the story of a young woman who finds enlightenment through overcoming obstacles,” Arias said. “Through enlightenment, she shares the gift of protection and knowledge with other women of her tribe.

“In exploring how this mythology speaks to my personal experience — I am returning to my indigenous roots to find healing and knowledge and re-examining my Latinx experience of dislocation.”

The Guna people are autonomous from Panama and have fought to maintain their land, heritage and governance. Arias’ designs deviate from traditional mola subject matter, which is usually apolitical, she said.

“I’m interested in the mola because the materiality represents a material embodiment of indigenous cosmology,” Arias said. “They use reverse applique technique with fine needlework that stitches together multiple layers and colors of fabric. These layers represent a spiritual labyrinth, which can trap evil spirits within their patterns.”

Arias said she’s begun to incorporate her mola panels into printmaking to “talk about invisible labor, constructed borders and U.S. occupation.”

A second-year MFA candidate in the interdisciplinary program, Arias was selected for the Border Lab Graduate Fellowship program by the Confluencenter for Creative Inquiry, a $10,000 award possible with funding from the Office of the Provost and University of Arizona HSI Initiatives.

She studied photography at Parsons School of Design, experimenting with video art and performance work. Her work addresses the invisible social barriers in society and the feelings of cultural detachment they cause, she said.

Arias is enjoying her classes and hopes to graduate in 2024.

“I’ve learned so much in the short time I’ve been here,” Arias said. “I The instructors are just as nurturing as they are challenging. My goal is to soak up as much knowledge as I can while I’m here.”

• Jacqueline Arias’ website

IF YOU GO

  • What: “Panama Narratives,” a 9-minute documentary directed by Jacqueline Arias, part of Arizona Underground Film Festival and “Block: Thoughts of the Experimental.”
  • When: Sunday, Sept. 18, 3 p.m.
  • Where: The Screening Room, 127 E. Congress St., Tucson
  • Tickets: $8. Available here

Mike Chesnick is the School of Art’s marketing, outreach and communications specialist. Contact him at mchesnick1@arizona.edu.

 

 

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University of Arizona School of Art
14 hours ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Congrats to new Assistant Professor Jenn Liv, who was awarded the Silver Medal in the advertising category for this year's Society Of Illustrators 66th Annual Competition. She was honored for a three-color risograph illustration series commissioned by the Japanese airline All Nippon Airways and art directed by VIRTUE NY. She'll receive the award this spring at a ceremony in New York. Go to www.jennliv.com/ and Jenn Liv Illustration to see more of Jenn's work. Arizona Arts The University of Arizona University of Arizona Museum of Art All Nippon Airways ... See MoreSee Less

Congrats to new Assistant Professor Jenn Liv, who was awarded the Silver Medal in the advertising category for this years Society Of Illustrators 66th Annual Competition. She was honored for a three-color risograph illustration series commissioned by the Japanese airline All Nippon Airways and art directed by VIRTUE NY. Shell receive the award this spring at a ceremony in New York. Go to https://www.jennliv.com/ and Jenn Liv Illustration to see more of Jenns work. Arizona Arts The University of Arizona University of Arizona Museum of Art All Nippon AirwaysImage attachmentImage attachment+5Image attachment
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University of Arizona School of Art
2 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Come work with us! The School of Art is conducting searches for FOUR faculty positions. Click on the links below to apply.

2D Printmaking: arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18304?c=Arizona

First Year Experience (FYE): arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18306?c=arizona

Art & Visual Culture Education (AVCE): arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18305?c=arizona

Illustration, Design & Animation (IDA): arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18307?c=arizona

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Come work with us! The School of Art is conducting searches for FOUR faculty positions. Click on the links below to apply. 

2D Printmaking: https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18304?c=Arizona

First Year Experience (FYE): https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18306?c=arizona

Art & Visual Culture Education (AVCE): https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18305?c=arizona

Illustration, Design & Animation (IDA): https://arizona.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/4/home/requisition/18307?c=arizona

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University of Arizona School of Art
2 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

KVOA-TV, the local NBC affiliate, profiled our "Clients in the Community" class yesterday! www.kvoa.com/video/ua-students-paints-mural-at-bnai-brith-covenant-house/video_45d8b73e-c3c9-55bf...

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UA students paints mural at B'nai B'rith Covenant House

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Click here to view this video from kvoa.com.
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University of Arizona School of Art
3 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Associate Professor Kelly Leslie and students in her "Clients in the Community" class continued to paint a desert mural this afternoon at the B'nai B'rith Covenant House of Tucson. KGUN9-TV, KVOA-TV, the Arizona Daily Star, the Jewish Post and El Inde Arizona interviewed Leslie, students, residents and Abbie Stone with the HUD-funded affordable housing community for older adults, so look out for their stories! Read more at tinyurl.com/SOAmural

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Associate Professor Kelly Leslie and students in her Clients in the Community class continued to paint a desert mural this afternoon at the Bnai Brith Covenant House of Tucson. KGUN9-TV, KVOA-TV, the Arizona Daily Star, the Jewish Post and El Inde Arizona interviewed Leslie, students, residents and Abbie Stone with the HUD-funded affordable housing community for older adults, so look out for their stories! Read more at https://tinyurl.com/SOAmural

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University of Arizona School of Art
3 days ago
University of Arizona School of Art

For one show only, 17 undergraduate students studying at the University of Arizona School of Art will present “Folding” – a compilation of short video artworks produced in the Fall of 2023. "Folding" explores visual and emotive reverberations in video, tracing the intricate contours of time, space and the human experience.

Under the mentorship of artist and Photography, Video and Imaging professor Sama Alshaibi, the students produced all the technical, aesthetic, and conceptual components in their final projects. “Folding” is a realization of a semester of storyboarding, performance, lighting, shooting, editing and scoring. The themes explored include motherhood, fatherhood, memory, abandonment, separation, displacement, boundaries, identity, discrimination, depression, trauma, discipline, limits and overcoming.

Join us at the Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway, Dec 13, 2023
12 pm -2 pm

Free and open to the public. (Dir. by Various, 2023, USA, approximately 100 mins, not rated)

All videos were produced in 2023.

Artists:
Jaime Abarca “A Heart and Wild Tongue”
Sara Apostolik “How Do You Recall the Past 5 Years?”
Mallory Barry “Drain”
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Rew Charoensiri “Problem of Being a Minority in America”
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Belen Muro “Displacement”
Nicholas Owen “Vacant”
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Lexy Scott “Preserves”
Rose Singdee “White Noise”
Haejee Stolz “Touchable Music”
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Photo credit: Belen Muro.

Arizona Arts The University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography The Loft Cinema
... See MoreSee Less

For one show only, 17 undergraduate students studying at the University of Arizona School of Art will present “Folding” – a compilation of short video artworks produced in the Fall of 2023. Folding explores visual and emotive reverberations in video, tracing the intricate contours of time, space and the human experience.

Under the mentorship of artist and Photography, Video and Imaging professor Sama Alshaibi, the students produced all the technical, aesthetic, and conceptual components in their final projects. “Folding” is a realization of a semester of storyboarding, performance, lighting, shooting, editing and scoring. The themes explored include motherhood, fatherhood, memory, abandonment, separation, displacement, boundaries, identity, discrimination, depression, trauma, discipline, limits and overcoming.

Join us at the Loft Cinema, 3233 E. Speedway, Dec 13, 2023
12 pm -2 pm

Free and open to the public. (Dir. by Various, 2023, USA, approximately 100 mins, not rated)

All videos were produced in 2023.

Artists:
Jaime Abarca “A Heart and Wild Tongue”
Sara Apostolik “How Do You Recall the Past 5 Years?”
Mallory Barry “Drain”
Sylvia Bermudez “Set Myself Free”
Rew Charoensiri “Problem of Being a Minority in America”
Tyler Dunham “Approaching Discipline”
Braden Hale “Gifts from Dad”
Jesus Hernandez “Y La Novia?”
Ananya Kommu “In the Between”
Sofia Maldonado “Untitled”
Belen Muro “Displacement”
Nicholas Owen “Vacant”
Genevieve Schroeder “Holding Lightly”
Lexy Scott “Preserves”
Rose Singdee “White Noise”
Haejee Stolz “Touchable Music”
Brooks Thibault “Distant”

Photo credit: Belen Muro.

Arizona Arts The University of Arizona Center for Creative Photography The Loft Cinema
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University of Arizona School of Art
1 week ago
University of Arizona School of Art

Congrats to School of Art senior Grayson Agrella, who has been named a Centennial Achievement Undergraduate Award recipient — one of the highest honors a student can achieve at the University of Arizona. Grayson, a triple major in Art History, Anthropology and French, will be recognized Tuesday by the Dean of Students Office at a luncheon.

“Grayson is one of those rare intellects … who has impressed the Art History faculty with the depth of his passion for the arts and his achievement in every class,” wrote School of Art History Professors Irene Bald Romano and Paul Ivey, who nominated Agrella for the award. “He has made a strong commitment to LGBTQ+ rights and issues — profoundly expressed in his research.” tinyurl.com/SOAgrayson

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Senior Agrella receives prestigious Centennial Achievement Award – School of Art

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Senior Agrella receives prestigious Centennial Achievement Award November 30, 2023 By Michael Chesnick School of Art Senior Grayson Agrella, a triple major in Art History, Anthropology and French whos...
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Congratulations, Grayson!!

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