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Student Exhibition
Six students from Houston and six from Mexico City, visited each other’s cities, met with artists and educators, and examined the diverse cultural influences and identities of Mexico and the United States. The students created their own works of art inspired by art in the exhibtion and by their experiences. This section of the site features their work.

The three categories of artwork represented are Folding Screen, Chocolate Cups, and Doors. A description for each is provided below.

Click on an image to see the artwork.

Folding Screen - The folding screen is a Japanese invention introduced to Mexico in the 1500's. Here, a screen displays a grouping of paintings commemorating Mexico's historical past and offering new ways of understanding present-day Mexico.

Chocolate Cups - In the Americas, drinks made from the cocoa beans are part of an ancient tradition. At the court of the Aztec ruler, Moctezuma, Spanish explorer Hernán Cortés was served xcoatl, a bitter cocoa-bean drink made with water. The Spanish flavored the cocoa with sugar, vanilla and cinnamon and soon it became extremely popular in both New Spain and Europe. In Viceregal Mexico, the Spaniards drank chocolate from elaborately carved coconut shells cups.
Today, modern technologies have replaced the elaborate traditional ways of preparing chocolate. In Mexico, participants in the Cultural Exchange enjoyed chocolate at Churreterias. These shops prepare Churros, long, deep-fried pastries sprinkled with sugar and cinnamon, a perfect accompaniment to chocolate.

Doors - "During the Cultural Exchange, Mexico City impressed us with its architectural richness and strong Spanish influence. This magnificent architecture includes heavy wooden doors elaborately decorated with inlaid veneers, geometric designs and rich carving, unlike our plain, mass-produced doors. We borrowed this interesting tradition and have created our own decorative doors. Using a variety of media, each of us has created a unique and almost biographical door."