John Wayne Airport Collaboration with Munzón Gallery | John Wayne Airport, Orange County

(SANTA ANA, CA) – John Wayne Airport is proud to collaborate with Munzón Gallery to present dual exhibitions in the Vi Smith Gallery, Terminal C. Founded by first-generation Angeleno artist Elizabeth Munzón in 2022, Munzón Gallery is a contemporary art gallery located in a subsection of Long Beach, California, known as Cambodia Town.

These exhibitions pair with the newly opened show Symbology in the Vi Smith Gallery, Terminal A. Over the next four months, the secure side of the Airport will exclusively feature works by Latinx artists, reflecting an intentional effort to uplift and highlight the diverse and authentic Orange County.

This partnership marks the inaugural effort in which JWA will feature current, contemporary regional artwork, spotlighting the vibrant local art scene, with plans for more such collaborations in the future. Regarding the project, curator Heather Bowling says, “I’ve always wanted to partner with Elizabeth. I deeply admire her curatorial eye, her focus on printmaking (a rarely celebrated artform), and her desire to engage the local community.”

The Underbelly, Jacqueline Valenzuela, Oil and Oil Pastel on Canvas, 2022

Throne of Maguey, Elizabeth Munzón, Oil on Canvas, 2023

Gimme Danger, Chris Estrada, Screenprint, 2023

Munzón Gallery focuses on painting and printmaking, showcasing the works of emerging and mid-career artists who produce captivating and inclusive art that reflects the spirit of the modern era. Additionally, the gallery offers services geared toward artists in the form of artist studios and a press room equipped with various sizes of printing presses and tools for relief printmaking. The space also features a patio that hosts a collection of rotating murals, all curated by resident studio artist Mister Toledo.

This dual exhibition features a selection of work by artists represented by Munzón Gallery: Chris Estrada, Mark Anthony Hocutt, Edgar Martinez, Baby Mueller, Elizabeth Munzon, Mister Toledo, Jacqueline Valenzuela, and Josh Vasquez, with multiple pieces from each artist on view. Concurrently on view is an extension of Generaciones (Generations), a group exhibition co-curated by Mister Toledo. The main exhibition will take place at Munzón Gallery in Long Beach, CA, on view through May 18th, 2024.

Generaciones invites viewers to delve into the collective narrative of Latinx artists navigating their distinct paths of American upbringing while preserving their heritage. Through various mediums, the exhibition explores the complexities of assimilating into new societal landscapes while safeguarding ancestral customs, a poignant reflection on the delicate balance between adaptation and tradition.

This exhibition, located post-security in the Terminal C Vi Smith Gallery, between Gates 19 and 22, will be on view through August 23, 2024. Anyone from the public without a boarding pass can obtain an OCAirPass to visit the exhibition.

For more information about Munzón Gallery, visit www.munzongallery.com.

For more information about the John Wayne Airport Arts Program,
visit www.ocair.com/terminal/artexhibits

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John Wayne Airport (SNA) is owned by the County of Orange and is operated as a self-supporting enterprise that receives no general fund tax revenue. The Airport serves more than 11.3 million passengers annually and reaches more than 40 nonstop destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico. More information can be found at www.ocair.com. Like us on facebook.com/johnwayneairport, or follow us on Twitter @johnwayneair and Instagram @johnwayneair.

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