Carolyn Kallenborn (Wisconsin) and Miriam Campos (Oaxaca) will tell the story of an international, creative collaboration that took place during the pandemic. The project was a poetic crossing of borders, connecting and creating community during a difficult time. Intercambios: Art, Stories, & Comunidad was an exhibition of collaborative works from artists in Madison, Wisconsin and the Central Valleys of Oaxaca, Mexico. The eleven artists in the exhibition, come from diverse backgrounds. They are from both sides of the Mexico/US border and speak five languages. The intersection of techniques, artistic styles, visions, and stories produced three key themes. The work honors and remembers loved ones who have passed and the fleeting nature of life. The art addresses the potential of migration to both destroy and cultivate traditions. And finally, the art speaks to the importance of our shared histories. The collective work asks questions about what it means to cross and connect worlds: life and death, art and craft, and the borders between countries, languages, cultures, and classes.

Speaker Bios:

, Professor Emerita from the University of Wisconsin, is an internationally acclaimed artist working with textiles, film, installation, and community projects. She has 25 years of university teaching experience, leading students in collaboration and developing a personal creative practice. She has traveled extensively to research traditional and contemporary textiles and artisan projects. Kallenborn has been teaching, learning, and collaborating with artisans in Oaxaca since 2004. She has been a cultural, artistic, and technical guide for students, interns, academics, artists, and artisans. Through exhibitions and her documentary films Woven Lives and La Vida y Los Muertos, she helped introduce Oaxacan artisans to the international art community. She now lives in Oaxaca full time.Carolyn Kallenborn

is a 3rd generation embroidery artist from San Antonino Castillo Velasco in Oaxaca. She and her family are known for their signature designs and colorful floral embroidery used in their traditional clothing. Miriam's mother, Reyna Cornelio, grandmother Virginia Sanchez, and all her aunts are established designers and embroiderers. Miriam has exhibited in museums nationally and internationally including the Rufino Tamayo Museum in Oaxaca, Santa Fe International Folk Art Market, New York Botanical Garden, and the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.  Miriam Campos

Carolyn and Miriam now lead textile tours here in Oaxaca.