Artist Talk | Archived Alchemy

About this event

ARTIST TALK | ARCHIVED ALCHEMY

Join us Saturday, November 14, from 1–2 pm at Leedy-Voulkos Art Center for an artist talk with Rodrigo Alvarez, Isaac Tapia, and Cesar Velez, artists featured in our current Front Gallery exhibition, Archived Alchemy , October 2 - November 21, 2026.

Join us for a conversation with the artists about the stories, experiences, and processes behind the exhibition.

Free and open to the public.

Alchemy was the ancient science and speculative philosophy devoted to turning lesser metals into gold, curing disease, and prolonging life. A migratory practice, it spanned continents and centuries. Studied in China, India, Greece and Egypt, it reached Europe in the 12th century through Arabic texts translated into Latin. Alchemists were sincerely trying to understand the world with the tools available to them, and their experiments gave rise to pharmacology and modern chemistry.

The works in this exhibition are a modern form of alchemy. Working from personal experience, interviews and memory, the artists have used the tools available to them to create a body of work that archives a migrating history rooted in selfless sacrifice, beauty and resilience. To these artists, the retelling and preservation of these undocumented stories holds the key to prolonging life, curing traumas, and has more value than gold itself. They invite you to experience this exhibition of American history with an open mind and an open heart.