Culture Shock: Speaking Through Spokes

Speaking Through Spokes

Sam Adams
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2 min read
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Last time the Alibi caught up with Jake Foreman, he was leading a group of teens on a 200-mile bike trek along the Trail of the Ancients [News, “Where the Rubber Meets the Road,” Aug. 11-17]. He had just created Cycles of Life, a program that helps Native youth gain an appreciation for their bodies, environment and heritage.

Since that endeavor, Foreman has been meeting with students—mostly young adults from the Native American Community Academy—to create art projects on a weekly basis.

After hooking up with a couple of area artists, the UNM grad student started putting together
Cycles , an exhibit taking place Downtown at Boro Gallery (317 Gold SW).

"We thought an art show would be great to showcase this consciousness that we’re talking about," Foreman says. "This understanding that we’re connected to the Earth, and that within the Earth there’s cycles, and recognizing those cycles through bicycling, gardening and art, we hope students are able to understand their role on Earth."

Along for the ride are Nani Chacon and JayCee Beyale, two artists showcasing some of their own velocipede-themed work at Boro. They also helped Foreman and his students put together sculptures made from recycled bike parts.

"We have a Tibetan prayer wheel that we made out of bicycle rims," Foreman says. And there will be video of that summer trip, as well as prints from the the students.

Foreman describes the exhibit as an education piece about the fusion of indigenous world views and Buddhism, the mandalas of which relate directly to his cyclical theme. He says the show’s proceeds will help pay for a summer trip to Hawaii he’s organizing for the Cycles of Life students.

Up the road from Boro is another show Foreman is working on in conjunction with
Cycles , titled Collaboration Nation . Hosted at Endemik Graphics (111 Fourth Street SW), it’s a Gandhi-inspired mixed-media group show from about 25 UNM students taught by Al Na’ir Lara, a colleague of Foreman’s at the university.

Both shows open with a reception on Friday, Dec. 2, from 4 to 8 p.m. More info at on.fb.me/cycleslife.
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