Gallery • 13 Photos

Jonathon Duarte

The Rubin Center welcomes three new exhibits that will run into late October.

Three exhibits exploring landscapes in the southwest, contemporary art and architectural and public art will be hosted at the Rubin Center from now until Oct. 24.

The exhibits feature art from photographer Victoria Sambunaris and artists Claire Harvey, Sophie Jodoin, Gael Stack, as well as work from Third Space, a collection of work that covers spatial relationships of objects and their context by artist Sergio Ramos.

“We have three very different shows reflecting our mission and sparking interest about local architecture and landscapes,” said Kerry Doyle, director of the Rubin Center. “They display drawings using tiny, small gestures, capture humanity on a humble scale and really connect with our border.”

Victoria Sambunaris’ exhibit, “Taxonomy of a Landscape” displays the photographs she took while traveling from Brownsville, Texas to San Diego, Calif. and back. Her goal was to document the American experience, Mexican-American border and the open-ended mystery and unease of the United States. The exhibit showcases over 1,500 of her photographs she took of the places she visited as well as books, maps and artifacts she collected during her travels.

“I started doing these trips across the US in 2000, and every year there’s a specific place I’m working at, although some projects take more than a year,” Sambunaris said. “I’m inspired by geology, culture and previous photographs and artists like the National Geographic team of Walker Evans and Robert Frank and the FSA photographers that documented the depression.”

Sambunaris began taking photos when she was 14 when she obtained her very first camera. Now, she uses a 5X1 field camera with a traditional negative.

“From the time I received the camera, I knew photography would always be in my life and a part of my life,” Sambunaris said. “I received a business degree for my undergrad, but later went for my Master of Fine Arts degree to follow my passion.”

Sambunaris’ exhibit is displayed on the second floor of The Rubin Center.

The next exhibit, “Tell Me Something and Take it Back: An Exhibition of Contemporary Drawing” is featured in the next room. This exhibit showcases drawings completed by Claire Harvey, Sophie Jodoin and Gael Stack. The trio uses drawing and mark-making-the process of creating different dots, lines and swirls-to create art.

“They capture the small moments in life,” Doyle said. “And I hope it strikes new appreciation and conversations about them.”

The third exhibit is called “Third Space” which focuses on local architectural art, exhibiting moments that take place in interstitial space and visitors’ interactions within this space. The collection consists of finished and unfinished architectural projects and concepts that are all located in the El Paso border.

“It explores architectural works both in real life and in the artist’s imagination,” Doyle said. “It completes the series of exhibitions opening the world.”

The second part of the Rubin Center’s Fall 2015 exhibits will be displayed starting in November. “Territory of the Imagination” will be launched on Nov. 5 as part of the Rubin Center’s 10 year anniversary.

“In November, we’ll have a few more exhibitions featuring work about imagination and outer space,” Doyle said. “There will also be gala to celebrate our tenth anniversary, and we’re looking forward to future exhibits.”

The Rubin Center is opened Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 747-6151.

Julia Hettiger may be reached at [email protected]