This week on Arizona Illustrated… looking back on Louis Carlos Bernal’s comprehensive show Retrospectiva at the Center for Creative photography before it closes on March 15, 2025; Watercolor has been a popular medium since the Renaissance, how one Tucson guild still celebrates it today, and Tucson honors writer and activist Alva Torres.
The Enduring Legacy of Chicano Photographer Louis Carlos Bernal
An introduction to the father of Chicanx photography, Louis Carlos Bernal. The University of Arizona’s Center for Creative Photography is hosting an exhibition of Bernal’s work in fall 2024. The goal is to raise awareness of the significance of Bernal’s work, promote dialogue, and reinvigorate recognition of his photographs. The Center for Creative Photography selected curator and writer Elizabeth Ferrer as the exhibition’s guest curator. Ferrer has also recently released a book titled, Louis Carlos Bernal: Monografía. This story will journey through the impact Bernal had on the photography community through his life, demise, and legacy.
The Watercolorists
Watercolor is a painting technique in which the color pigments are suspended in water-based solution. It’s one of the most ancient forms of human expression but gained popularity as a medium in the Renaissance. In Tucson, the Southern Arizona Watercolor guild is dedicated to advancing the artform regionally. The group has over 350 members and celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2018. It offers plein-air painting outings, group painting sessions, educational outreach and even has a public gallery where members can show their work.
Alva Torres Plaza
The City of Tucson dedicated the TCC Plaza in honor of Alva Bustamante Torres, a fourth-generation Tucsonan and community activist. She was particularly involved in historic preservation efforts of Mexican-American cultural sites. Alva spearheaded these efforts in the early 1970s to preserve La Plaza de la Mesilla in downtown Tucson at the time when massive urban renewal in that area was taking place. Author Lydia Otero advocates for permanence in honor of the work of Alva Torres, an activist for the historic preservation of the old barrio in the ‘60s known as “La Calle”. This TCC Plaza now bears her name and story of advocacy.
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