The Greater Denton Arts Council is pleased to present The Taste of Old Mexico, a solo exhibition by Pablo Alonso Cruz, featuring cyanotypes and emulsion lift photographs. Through material experimentation and photographic processes rooted in history and memory, Cruz reflects on cultural identity, nostalgia, and the complexities of representation within Mexican-American experience.
ARTIST STATEMENT
The phrase ‘A Taste of Old Mexico’ is often linked to the consumption and commercialization of Mexican culture. It evokes clichéd imagery that is painted, printed, and distributed worldwide. These stereotypes provide a simplistic representation of a richly diverse community. Ironically, this tourist phrase can stir nostalgia for the very culture it oversimplifies and categorizes. This shared memory is complex, caught between reductive caricatures, authentic ingredients, and the diverse tastes of both the Mexican-American community and the American appetite for the exotic.
In this portfolio, I explore the inherent nature of categorization, which has historically been tied to cyanotype, and combine it with the nostalgic quality of Polaroid photography to reflect on culture and the ingredients of memory. Through this work, I aim to convey a shared Mexican-American experience—one that has shaped the palates and imaginations of a homeland profoundly affected by historical conflicts.
Be sure to visit and experience this thoughtful and layered body of work and spend time in Stoke's three conference rooms for your next meeting! On view May 20 - November 14, 2026.
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