Exhibition Description

A Reason to Survive (ARTS) presents Piñata: A Symbol of Joy and Celebration, an exhibition that highlights local artists whose artwork addresses the craft of handmade piñatas as inspiration for their compositions.

Modern day piñatas are commonly used as symbols of celebration. They bring moments of joy, release, and gifts to those who engage with them. While the art of piñata-making is an elaborate process passed down for generations, piñatas are now easily accessible in mercados worldwide.

From the iconic seven-pointed star to a trendy cartoon character or public figure, these ephemeral objects can take many forms. Through Piñata: A Symbol of Joy and Celebration, artists choose piñatas to celebrate cultural heritage and pay homage to family histories, address contemporary social issues, and reminisce on personal memories.

Piñatas, in their widely diverse forms, are present in various cultures around the world. This exhibition presents artworks that celebrate family rituals and honor traditions —using piñatas that represent burnt offerings for ancient spirits or as intercultural objects where new traditions emerge.

Through the representation of hand-crafted icons like the female reproductive system, a prison cell, or a bulldozer running over a palm tree, these artworks invite us to engage in conversations about contemporary social concerns. Using different thought-provoking media, artists choose unusual objects as piñatas such as wine bottles to discuss drought in indigenous territories or reclaimed clay pots to address the consequences of colonization.

Crafting piñatas as artworks prolongs their existence and encourages the viewer to ponder on their trajectory and new purpose. Artists pushed the boundaries of traditional piñata-making and created piñatas with alternative materials such as balloons and dried paint to symbolize process, celebration, and release.

In Piñata: A Symbol of Joy and Celebration, creatives reinvented, reinterpreted and reimagined this traditional hand-crafted object. Through celebration, social commentary, and storytelling we honor the icon that is la piñata.

September 15th - November 15th, 2022