People of Corn / Gente de Maiz with Artist in Residence, Jorge Rojas at the Kimball Art Center

The Kimball Art Center’s new home at the YARD in Park City is already being put to good use with their current exhibition titled, People of Corn / Gente de Maiz with Artist in Residence, Jorge Rojas. During his two month residency, Rojas has built upon his decade-long work of creating art that celebrates the spiritual significance of corn in cultures throughout the Americas. His exhibition is on display this summer from June 23rd to September 19th with free admission. 

While we will leave the details of the exhibition for you to discover, and even co-create through the interactive elements, there are several free educational programs through the summer that accompany the artwork. Read on for details or learn more here. 

First, on Wednesday, August 4th from 6:30pm-8:30pm, an event titled, “Born from Corn: The Soul of the Americas” will explore the meaning and cultural legacy of corn to indigenous peoples of the Americas. The presenters include Fanny Blauer, the executive director of Artes de Mexico en Utah, Franci Taylor, the director of the American Indian Resource Center at the U of U, and Jorge Rojas himself. Arrive early to the Kimball Art Center for refreshments. 

Next, on Wednesday, August 11th from 6:30pm-8:30pm a free, in-person event for Spanish speakers will again feature Fanny Blauer and Jorge Rojas. This presentation features similar content as the event on August 4th, but will take place in Spanish. 

On Wednesday, August 25th from 6:30-8:30pm, join Kimball Arts for a free, in-person cooking demonstration and food sharing titled, “Cooking with Corn / Cocinando con Maíz.” Chef Irene Sanchez will demonstrate how to prepare traditional Milpa Tamales from Guerrero, Mexico. 

Then on Thursday, September 2nd, Jorge Rojas will give an artists talk on Zoom for those hoping to learn more about the inspiration behind the exhibition. 

Finally, on Wednesday, September 15th from 6:30-8:30pm, a program titled, “Stories of Maize” will be presented as part of the Utah Humanities Book Festival, a statewide marathon of book-related programming featuring hundreds of events for Utahns. 

Special thanks to Jorge Rojas for facilitating such meaningful cultural cross-exchange for folks in Park City.