Mexico's Indigenous Culture Exhibits to Open in The Heart of America - Kansas City

(September 7, 2004) - WesleyImages announced today that next month its two traveling photography exhibits, which chronicle the bittersweet history and present-day survival stories of Mexico's indigenous people, will become the first major art exhibition at the new cultural arts facility of Guadalupe Centers, Inc. (GCI) in Kansas City, Missouri. Mexihcahs: Keepers of the Fire and The Indigenous Council of Oaxaca will open on October 7 at GCI's Cultural Arts Center, 1015 Avenida Cesar E. Chavez. The one-month exhibition, along with additional programming that will be announced in upcoming weeks, has been scheduled to coincide with the local observance of Hispanic Heritage Month. "We couldn't be more pleased with this very timely opportunity to share these extraordinary accounts and images of an often forgotten culture with the people of Kansas City," said photographer Wesley Billingslea. Mexihcahs: Keepers of the Fire is a collaborative effort between Wesley and the descendants of the ancient Aztecs. At its heart, the exhibit features his inspirational black and white portraits and documentary-style photographs, many of which vividly depict how tradition continues to play a significant role in the lives of today's Mexihcahs. Combined with handmade artifacts and the poignant text of Maestro Sergio Ocelocoatl Ramirez - a teacher and himself a descendant of Mexico's earliest inhabitants - the exhibit further reveals the uncensored history of the Mexihcahs and the truth about their modern-day fight for freedom. Wesley spent three years gaining the Mexihcahs' trust - often times living amongst them for weeks at a time - before he was granted permission to tell their story. The Indigenous Council of Oaxaca exhibit documents one of the first public demonstrations by the people of Oaxaca to be recognized as full-fledged citizens by the Mexican government. Wesley, who was visiting the state in June of 2003, unintentionally found himself in the midst of the protest. His stunning photographs capture the drama that gripped the region at the time. The exhibition's opening reception will be held from 6:00 to 9:00pm on October 7 at the Cultural Arts Center. For more information about the reception, or to schedule group tours through November 7, please call (816) 421-1015. Founded by a Kansas City catholic women's club in 1919 as a school and clinic for Mexican immigrants, GCI is recognized today as one of the longest continually operating organizations serving Latinos in the United States.