San Jose art gallery shares powerful message about gentrification – The Mercury News

Report on the “There Are New Suns” Exhibition and its Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Exhibition Overview

The Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA) in San Jose is hosting an exhibition titled “There Are New Suns” until November 9. The gallery features works by three Mexican American artists with connections to the South Bay: Cecilia Perez, Samantha Saldana, and Claudia Blanco. The exhibition’s primary objective is to utilize art as a medium to explore themes of cultural resilience and the socio-economic impacts of gentrification on Latin American communities, thereby contributing to a broader dialogue on sustainable urban development.

Core Themes and Relevance to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The exhibition directly engages with several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals by highlighting the challenges faced by marginalized communities in urban environments.

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The artists’ work provides a platform for voices from the Latin American community, illustrating the disparities and displacement that result from inequitable urban growth. It calls attention to the need for policies that protect vulnerable populations from the adverse effects of gentrification.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The central theme of gentrification critiques development models that fail to be inclusive. The exhibition advocates for the principles of SDG 11 by addressing:
  • Target 11.1: The lack of access to adequate, safe, and affordable housing, as depicted through themes of eviction and displacement.
  • Target 11.4: The need to protect and safeguard cultural heritage, which is threatened when established communities are forced to relocate.

Analysis of Artistic Contributions and SDG Linkages

The featured artists employ diverse mediums to articulate the exhibition’s core message and connect with specific SDG targets.

1. Cecilia Perez: Perez’s illustrations, particularly a painting of downtown San Jose, document and celebrate significant cultural landmarks like the Berryessa Flea Market. This work directly supports SDG 11.4 by safeguarding intangible cultural heritage and reinforcing community identity amidst rapid urban transformation. Her art serves as a testament to the resilience of local culture.
2. Samantha Saldana: Saldana’s mixed-media installation, which incorporates representations of eviction letters and images of personal belongings, offers a stark portrayal of forced displacement. This piece powerfully illustrates the human consequences of failing to meet SDG 11.1 (adequate housing) and underscores the inequalities targeted by SDG 10. It translates statistical data on gentrification into a tangible, human experience of loss and instability.
3. Claudia Blanco: Blanco’s kinetic sculpture, featuring cartoon birds on a rotating wheel, symbolizes the perpetual and often precarious search for a stable home. This work metaphorically represents the displacement of people and nature, a direct consequence of unsustainable urban expansion. It serves as a commentary on the need for more inclusive and sustainable planning as outlined in SDG 11.

Conclusion: Art as a Vehicle for Sustainable Development Advocacy

The “There Are New Suns” exhibition at MACLA functions as an impactful advocacy tool, leveraging artistic expression to foster public awareness and dialogue on critical issues aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. By personalizing the impacts of gentrification, the artists effectively campaign for the principles of SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The initiative demonstrates the vital role of cultural institutions in promoting inclusive societies and advancing the goal of sustainable and equitable urban development for all.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities: The article discusses gentrification, a process that disproportionately affects the Latin American community in San Jose. This highlights social and economic inequalities, as long-standing residents are displaced by an “influx of more affluent residents,” which directly relates to the goal of reducing inequality within communities.
• SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities: The core themes of the article—gentrification, displacement, housing prices, and the preservation of cultural identity in an urban setting—are central to SDG 11. The goal aims to make cities inclusive, safe, and sustainable. The article portrays a challenge to this inclusivity, where urban development leads to the displacement of a specific cultural community.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

1. Targets under SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities

   • Target 11.1: “By 2030, ensure access for all to adequate, safe and affordable housing…” The article directly addresses this target by describing the effects of gentrification, which “can result in the original residents moving out because of high housing prices.” Samantha Saldana’s artwork, featuring a collection of “eviction letters” and images of people forced to “abandon their homes,” powerfully illustrates the lack of affordable and secure housing for the affected community.
   • Target 11.4: “Strengthen efforts to protect and safeguard the world’s cultural and natural heritage.” The article highlights the work of the Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americana (MACLA) and the artists in preserving and celebrating Latin American culture amidst gentrification. Cecilia Perez’s painting, which depicts “San Jose’s wonderful Latin American culture and community” through icons like the Berryessa Flea Market, is a clear effort to safeguard the cultural heritage of the community. The exhibition itself is an act of cultural preservation.

2. Targets under SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

   • Target 10.2: “By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of… ethnicity, origin… or economic or other status.” The article focuses on the displacement of a specific ethnic group, the “Latin American communities,” due to economic pressures. This process represents a form of social and economic exclusion. The art exhibition serves as a tool for empowerment and advocacy, giving a voice to the community’s experience and “raising awareness about cultural resilience and gentrification.”

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

1. Rate of forced evictions and displacement: While not providing statistics, the article implies this indicator through the description of Samantha Saldana’s artwork, which features “eviction letters” and represents “those who are forced out by gentrification.” The prevalence of such events is a direct measure of the failure to provide secure housing (Target 11.1).
2. Housing affordability: The article explicitly mentions “high housing prices” as the cause for residents moving out and seeking “areas with lower rent.” This points to the ratio of housing costs to income as a key indicator for measuring access to affordable housing (Target 11.1).
3. Existence and support for cultural heritage preservation: The article’s focus on the MACLA gallery and its exhibition, “There Are New Suns,” implies that the number of institutions and initiatives dedicated to safeguarding the cultural heritage of minority or at-risk communities can be an indicator. The support for such organizations measures the effort being made to protect cultural identity (Target 11.4).
4. Demographic changes in neighborhoods: The article describes gentrification as an “influx of more affluent residents” that causes “the original residents moving out.” This implies that tracking the changing ethnic and economic composition of neighborhoods over time can serve as an indicator of social inclusion or exclusion (Target 10.2).

4. Summary Table of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: mercurynews.com