It is an honor for me on behalf of ArtChangeUS and CalArts to introduce tonight to Guillermo Gomez Peña. Guillermo is a CalArts alumni and holds a BA and a MA from our institution. He has been laurated with many awards; for example, the MacArthur Fellowship prize, the Bessie and American Books Award, and he was also named a Samuel Hoi Fellow Artist in 2012. Guillermo has also done an extensive pedagogical carrer and has written over 12 books.
When I first came to CalArts a few years ago, I had the chance to hear him talking at the TEDxCalArts at Red Cat. He
shared with us that Art has saved him from the IRA, the border-patrol
and a few psiquiatric institutions. He also said that Contradictions are
his favorite cologne. In that talk he told us a story of an imaginary
world in which artists which artis would have primary jobs and would get
to design our major institutions including airports and even prisons
would design it. Thanks to that talk, I had to rethink my carreer as a
musician. Why am I training to be a clasical trumpet player? Am I still
colonized? What is the art that I want to transmit? Which are my own
melodies? Oh… thats why I love pan flute bands. and I am proud of my
taste.
Now a days, when the world Trumps us, so to speak, in every corner, it is a blessing to be able to learn and enjoy from this jovencito lleno de coraje que hace
algunos años decidio salir a las calles de México a luchar contra la
burguesia, la iglesia, el racismo y las diferentes desigualdades los
idiomas y la diferencias culturales .( and I am not translating this
part) Con ustedes, I would like to introduce: Guillermo Gomez Peña.
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