Works of renowned Mexican artists featured at Bagwell Center gallery

Pellissippi State and the Tennessee Consortium for International Studies will host the Mexican art exhibit “Cinco Maestros Michoacanos” at the Bagwell Center for Media and Art on the Pellissippi Campus beginning February 18.

The exhibit, made up of paintings and sculptures by five renowned Mexican artists, will be on display in the new gallery of the Bagwell Center. Entrance to the gallery is free and open to the public.

The exhibit is February 18-March 14.

An opening reception, hosted by Pellissippi State’s Office of the President, the College’s Art program and TnCIS, will take place at 5 p.m. February 22 in the gallery.

In 2006, a tribute to five of the greatest living Michoacán artists—Felipe Castañeda, Jesús Escalera, Luis Palomares, José Luis Soto González and Francisco Rodríguez Oñate—was commissioned by the secretary of culture for the Mexican state of Michoacán. Since that time, the artwork has toured numerous cities throughout the United States, including other college campuses.

“We are extremely pleased that ‘Cinco Maestros Michoacanos’ will be the inaugural exhibition in the College’s new gallery,” said President Allen Edwards. “Pellissippi State is very proud to be part of bringing this display to East Tennessee.”

“The purpose of TnCIS is to make international education and cultural understanding a central goal of higher education in Tennessee,” said Milton Grimes, the consortium’s executive director. “Hosting this exhibit is an excellent opportunity to fulfill our mission.” TnCis is headquartered on the Pellissippi Campus.

The gallery’s hours are 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Friday and 5-8 p.m. Friday evenings. During Spring Break, March 3-7, the gallery will be open by appointment only.

For more information about the art exhibit, visit www.pstcc.edu or contact Theresa Castillo at 539-7279 or tcastillo@pstcc.edu. For more information on TnCIS, visit www.tncis.org.