Born from Corn: The Soul of the Americas

Corn is indigenous to the Americas and is included in the creation stories of the Choctaw, the Cherokees, the Keres, the Zuni, the Seminole, the Shoshone, the Aztecs, the Maya, and many others. It was of great interest to the people who came to the Americas from Europe and has become one of the main foods consumed in the U.S. Join us as we explore the meaning and cultural legacy of corn to the indigenous peoples of the Americas through presentations, dialogue, and art making for the entire family.

Presenters:

Fanny Blauer – Executive Director, Artes de México en Utah

Franci Taylor – Director of the American Indian Resource Center, U of U

Jorge Rojas – Artist, Curator, Educator

Fanny Blauer – Executive Director, Artes de México en Utah 

Fanny Guadalupe is from Mexico City, she graduated from the Instituto Politecnico Nacional as a Certified Public Accountant, Fanny also holds a certification of an Anthropology of Art diploma from the Center for Research and Advanced Studies of Social Anthropology (CIESAS). As an immigrant, Fanny has developed a great interest in valuing the cultural diversity of Mexico in the United States and as such, she is the creator of projects that actively involve members of the community with the main purpose of acknowledging individual cultural values and practices.  Fanny serves as a translator and interpreter at the Natural History Museum of Utah and she is an active participant in the diversity and inclusion committees for different organizations Fanny is part of the National Leadership Project for Peer Alliance Gender and Equity managed by the Science Museum of Minnesota.

Franci Taylor – Director of the American Indian Resource Center, University of Utah

Franci L. Taylor earned a B.F.A., B.S. and M.A in Anthropology/Sociology/Native American Studies at Montana State University. She earned her Ph.D. in American Indian Studies through the Faculty of Archaeology program at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands. As a mother of two, grandmother of five, and auntie to many, Franci (Choctaw, she/her) has always wanted the best for others. She has dedicated the last 25 years towards increasing access for all under-represented students and American Indians by teaching American Indian Studies and Culture locally, nationally, and internationally at all educational levels. She has worked on creating American Indian curriculum for public schools. At present she is a cross-cultural consultant for University Health Sciences and the Director of the American Indian Resource Center at University of Utah. She sits on several national Indian Education boards and is a participating member of the United Nations Indigenous Peoples Permanent Forum. She is a traditional dancer, bead and Quill worker, and has several art portfolios at galleries in Europe.

Jorge Rojas – Artist, Curator, Educator

Jorge Rojas is a multidisciplinary artist, independent curator, and educator from Morelos, Mexico. He studied Art at the University of Utah and at Bellas Artes in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. Rojas uses performance, visual art, and social engagement to examine cultural, social, and mediated forms of communication. His art and curatorial projects have been exhibited in galleries, museums, and other national and international venues. From 2015 to 2021, Rojas served as director of learning and engagement at Utah Museum of Fine Arts where he oversaw education, community engagement, and public programming initiatives. Rojas is actively involved in the Salt Lake City community as an artist, educator, curator, consultant, and is a passionate advocate for advancing racial and cultural justice through the arts.

Kimball Art Center Artist-In-Residence Programming Series

Born from Corn: The Soul of the Americas is presented by Kimball Art Center in conjunction with Artist-in-Residence Jorge Rojas’ community art project Gente de Maíz / People of Corn. This event and others in the series are a partnership between the Kimball Art Center and Artes de México en Utah, Utah Humanities, and Park City Library that present We Are People of Corn / Somos Gente de Maíz. The series of interactive classes, talks, readings, art making and meal sharing takes place in August and September and invites the community to explore the meaning and cultural importance of corn to indigenous peoples of the Americas.

This series of classes is funded by Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Utah Humanities, and Park City Library, with additional support from Holy Cross Ministries in Park City.

Created in partnership with Utah Division of Arts and Museums, Artes de México en Utah, Utah Humanities, and Park City Library.

Photo Credit: Jasmin Xanthos