‘ICONS OF FAITH,’ Solo exhibit opens Saturday

Special to the NEWS

The City of San Benito’s Cultural Arts Department (CAD) presents Vestigios de lo Sagrado (Vestiges of the Sacred), a solo exhibition featuring the work of McAllen-based Latina artist Mitch D’arte. The exhibition is being displayed at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum and marks D’arte’s first solo exhibition of this scale in Cameron County.

Vestigios de lo Sagrado, comprised of over 30 paintings and installations, spans from 2015 to 2024 and explores the use of religious iconography through a nostalgic lens. The work both explores the relationship with these icons at large and D’arte’s own meditations on her relationship with her late mother.

“Vestigios de lo Sagrado is an evocative exploration of faith, memory, and personal reflection,” explained Cultural Heritage Museum Director, Aleida Garcia. “Mitch D’arte’s work invites us to engage with the sacred through a deeply nostalgic lens, inspiring us to resonate with the icons that shape our spiritual and cultural identity.”

For D’arte, these icons of faith work together with the larger concepts of religious practice; these images are an ongoing reflection of faith, humanity, and intent. D’arte’s intent, in this intentionally unfinished body of work, is to invite the viewers to become participants and reflect on their true selves and provoke a conversation on the many facets of faith, said Garcia.

The opening reception for Vestigios de lo Sagrado is on Saturday, Feb. 8, 2025, from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at the San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum. The exhibition runs through April 19, 2025.

The Museum is open Monday-Thursday from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., and Fridays from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Guided tours and in-person access are available throughout the exhibit dates, and virtual programs, such as video presentations, interviews, and virtual tours are available through CAD’s social medial platforms.

The San Benito Cultural Heritage Museum is at 250 E. Heywood St., San Benito. For more information on this event or any upcoming events, contact the Museum at (956) 658-8493, or follow the CAD on Facebook @sanbenitoCULTURALARTS and on Instagram @sb_cultural_arts.