Mictlantecutli, the Aztec God of the Dead, oil on canvas by Cesar Castaneda

by Brenda Waldrop, Media Editor

If you missed the Castaneda Art Show last Saturday night, you really missed out.  The Voz Alta Gallery, an adorable little gallery on National Ave near downtown San Diego, hosted the show, complete with a band, a small bar, and great atmosphere.  While the gallery was perhaps a little small to hold everyone and the band, Franky Two-Times and His Goons, everyone seemed perfectly content to spill out onto the back porch and the front sidewalk where they could hear the band through the open doors as well as they could inside.    

The band played for about 45 min, warming up the crowd, which swelled to over 40 people by the time they played their last song.  A family affair, the show centered on Cesar Castaneda’s art, and also included pieces done by Cesar’s parents, cousins, his girlfriend Dulce and even his nieces and nephews, the oldest of which couldn’t have been more than 10 years old.

Below: works from Cesar’s sketchbook

A decidedly talented family, the art varied in styles and mediums; pencil sketches, oil on canvas, woodcarving and even jewelry.  While themes were varied, the vibrant colors common in Latino art were prevalent and they captured the eye and spurred the imagination everywhere you looked.   

by Cesar and Dulce

by Max Bojorquez

I was especially captivated by the intricate and powerful images from Aztec history that Cesar incorporated into many of his pieces.    The re-use of materials, old tree stumps, broken pottery, and even the top of a box spring from an old mattress, cut to use as a canvas, was both inventive and refreshing in this increasingly disposable society we live in. 

Below: Cesar Castaneda and his wood carving of Quetzalcoatl 

In all, it was an amazing show, and great evening of entertainment, especially for the price (free!).  If you missed this show, keep your eyes out for future shows from Cesar and the rest of the Castaneda family, and be sure to check out the other events Voz Alta Gallery has planned!

If you are interested in learning more about this art, or to purchase these or other pieces, contact Cesar Castaneda at [email protected].

You can check out future Voz Alta Gallery events at:

http://www.vozaltaprojectgallery.com/VozAltaProjectGallery/Voz_Alta_Project.html

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