Stills from (left to right): Gina Cunningham, boat (2015); Diana Sofia Estrad, Mountain Through A Peephole (2015); Ximena Cuevas, “Corazón Sangrante” (1993), Luis Lupone, Weaving Sea and Wind (1987); Gina Lamb, I was a Teenage Alien (1990)
Over the last month, our Getty Marrow Undergraduate Intern Andrea Acuña (CSULA ‘25) has conducted curatorial research using LACE’s Digital Archive to build a virtual exhibition. For her project, Andrea selected eight moving image works that were presented at LACE between 1987 and 2021.
“As the current Curatorial and Programming Getty Marrow intern at LACE, I was stoked to dive deep into LACE’s archive and put together this digital exhibition of film and moving image works. In my career pursuits, I hold a deep responsibility to uplift the voices of Indigenous peoples around the world, protect the land that provides for our existence, and advocate against the systemic injustices that people of color and queer communities continue to face. This curated selection of works from the archive reflect my interests and values I hold so fondly while conveying perspectives in which these values are present.”
— Andrea Acuña, Getty Marrow Undergraduate Curatorial and Programming Intern, 2024
I was a Teenage Alien (1990) by Gina Lamb
Presented at LACE from November 11–December, 1992, Gina Lamb’s film documents realistic and intimate interviews with teens from Mexico and Central America, who are learning to adjust to life in the United States and their journeys to get American citizenship. By speaking on these topics, the teens also dive into the realities of the American Dream and how their concepts of it changed once they came to America.
You can find a video of I was a Teenage Alien on Illumira.
Línea Pak (2021) by Tanya Aguiñiga and AMBOS Project
As part of LACE’s 2021 exhibition “Intergalactix: against isolation/contra el aislamiento,” Artist Tanya Aguiñiga collaborated with AMBOS (Art Made Between Opposite Sides) Project to distribute 500 emergency kits throughout the San Ysidro/Tijuana Border to advocate for the violent, unjust, and racist border crossing systems. Photo by Gina Clyne.
You can find a video of Línea Pak on LACE’s YouTube channel.
Kon Kon (2010) by Cecilia Vicuña
As part of LACE’s “2019” “Screening Night with Los Angeles Filmforum”, Kon Kon is a visual poem alluding to the Indigenous traditions of Con Con, Chile, the birthplace of her art. Vicuña captures a dying sea and dwindling ancient pre-Columbian Andean traditions. By exploring these sacred dances and traditions, this documentary dives into the roots of her art and its connection to them, all while showcasing the environmental damages due to land destruction and resource extraction.
You can view Kon Kon on Cecilia Vicuña’s website.
boat (2015) by Gina Cunningham
As a part of the “Femmes Video Art Festival – BY LAND OR BY SEA” presented at LACE in 2016, Gina Cunningham pays homage to her culture’s boat people and those around the world who have made treacherous journeys on them to gain freedom. By creating small paper boats that represent themes of resilience, freedom, beauty, death, and vitality, she releases them into the waters of different regions to honor all boat people.
“Corazón Sangrante” (1993) by Ximena Cuevas
Included in LACE’s “Three Programs of Independent Mexican videos” in 1996, Ximena Cuevas collaborates with singer Astrid Hadad to create a short film for her song “Corazón Sangrante” which presents an ironic visual performance of femininity. Cuevas incorporates body movements that correspond with chosen landscapes to show the female body’s connection to nature and to enact heartbreak. Animation and collages are utilized to create a sense of warmth and playfulness amidst a melodramatic love song.
You can watch “Corazón Sangrante” on Youtube.
Weaving Sea and Wind (1987) by Luis Lupone
Included in LACE’s “Three Programs of Independent Mexican videos” presented at LACE in 1996, this film documents the first Indigenous film workshop in Mexico within the Ikoots community of San Mateo Del Mar, Oaxaca. Filmmaker Luis Lupone follows the journey of this women-led workshop and the natural cinematic mindsets that they embody through their traditions of recording environments and oral histories. The documentary also addresses issues that this community faces, such as the creation of an oil refinery on their land.
Self-Portrait (2013) by Poulomi Desai
Featured in the “Femmes Video Art Festival – TRUTHS AND FICTIONS” presented at LACE in 2016, Poulomi Desai’s Self-Portrait is a response to an invitation from The Equiano Centre, University of London, to ‘invoke questions of presence and identity’ at its Black LGBTQ event, Poulomi created this video autobiography. The film explores Desai’s upbringing and life’s work, which include themes of race, gender, identity, sexuality, and personal experiences through a past interview with BBC Desi, photos, and inserts of images from Red Threads, one of her previous projects created in 2003.
You can watch Self-Portrait on Vimeo.
Mountain Through A Peephole (2015) by Diana Sofia Estrad
As a part of “Femmes Video Art Festival – BY LAND OR BY SEA” presented at LACE in 2016, Diana Sofia Estrad’s Mountain Through A Peephole aims to capture the similarities between Los Angeles, California, and Houston, Texas, in terms of culture, diversity, urban life, and concerns about the impacts of natural forces on the cities. While navigating these similarities, it also incorporates the major differences in their landscapes and their needs to prepare for natural disasters. It prompts audiences to consider if they are ready for what is to come while spreading awareness about the escalating climate crisis.”
You can watch Mountain Through A Peephole on Vimeo.
About the Curator
Andrea Acuña (she/her) is a photographer and film student at California State University, Los Angeles. She grew up between the Imperial Valley, Mexicali, Baja California, and Los Angeles. Her familial roots are in Mayo, an indigenous community in Sonora, Mexico. She seeks to create work that promotes indigenous inclusivity while also incorporating her own cultural experiences. Growing up in Southern California and Baja California, she had a unique perspective on the intersections of several indigenous cultures, which influenced her approach to curating exhibitions which acknowledge and celebrate diverse histories. Instilled with a strong passion and appreciation for art as a tool for preserving, elevating, and celebrating diversified cultural narratives. With a background in photography, curatorial, archival, and Mesoamerican restoration, she aspires to elevate underrepresented perspectives and experiences as a Curatorial and Programming intern at LACE.
