The School of Art and Design is hosting “Art: Mission CISD Agriculture Poster Exhibition” at the Charles and Dorothy Clark Art Gallery, featuring art pieces by students from the FARMERS program at Mission Veterans Memorial High School.
Jesmil Maldonado, a professor in the School of Art and Design and the new director of all galleries at UTRGV, said the main goal of the exhibit is to educate and inform people of the importance of agriculture.
The exhibit is composed of photographs accompanied by text.
Maldonado said many of the photos are of the students in the garden and the process of how they turned dirt to plants until they flourish with fruits.
“It’s not just about the act of working with the earth and getting produce,” Maldonado said. “It’s more about how the students are also reflecting on their life, on how they are understanding that things take time and you as a human being will also take time to to flourish, to grow and to achieve the things that they want.”
In her artist statement, Emily Saenz, an 18-year-old senior at Mission Veterans Memorial High School, said that without teamwork, their garden would have failed.
“By uniting as a team, we witnessed our garden grow from little sprouts here and there to a thriving garden,” Saenz said.
Maldonado said the exhibit is the students’ reflection of the garden and the Farmers, Agriculturists, Ranchers, Machinists, Engineers, Researchers and Suppliers program.
Alexia Vasquez, an 18-year-old senior at Mission Veterans Memorial High School, wrote that in the garden, they are not only growing vegetables but growing as individuals.
“My dream is to become an educator and continue the legacy of growing the next generation,” Vasquez wrote.
Maldonado said the Mission Consolidated Independent School District students have benefited from the garden by helping them make career choices, as well as helping other students experiencing food insecurity and providing produce for food banks.
“It’s not just something for their own purpose, but they’re using it to expand out to the community as well,” she said.
Fellow senior Alondra Gonzalez, 18, wrote that by growing and donating their vegetables to students and the local food bank, they are combating food insecurity in the community.
“I’m proud to be part of the MCISD FARMERS program,” Gonzalez said in the artist statement.
The exhibit is different from others showcased before at UTRGV because the featured artists are from a high school.
Maldonado said she wants to make the UTRGV galleries more accessible to the community, and this started by opening the gallery’s doors to programs within high schools and not solely art students.
The gallery is located in Liberal Arts Building South on the Edinburg campus. Visiting hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Oct. 15. Admission is free.
