common ground Art Exhibition (open through Feb. 19, 2022)

More than a museum, the Euphrat creates an experiential environment for visual ideas and communication. Our comprehensive program of arts, education, public art programs and lectures stimulate creativity and interest in art among audiences of all ages.

Euphrat Museum of Art

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Euphrat Museum Of Art

Euphrat Museum

More than a museum, the Euphrat creates an experiential environment for visual ideas and communicate. Experience the Euphrat through our collaborative art projects, online events and exhibitions.

<h3>Featuring artists <a href="https://www.deanza.edu/euphrat/current.html#Kiefer" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Thomas Kiefer</a>, <a href="https://www.deanza.edu/euphrat/current.html#Mendoza" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Hector Dionicio Mendoza</a>, <a href="https://www.deanza.edu/euphrat/current.html#Tho" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Nye' Lyn Tho</a> and Fortune Sitole. This exhibition examines constructed and unseen borders and boundaries, which speak to our shared needs for respect and dignity, kindness and resilience.</h3><h3><em>common ground</em> aligns with the <a href="https://siliconvalleyreads.org/books/Pages/2022-Books.aspx" target="_blank" data-msys-clicktrack="0" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer">Silicon Valley Reads 2022</a> books and theme, "The Power of Kindness, Resilience, and Hope" and featured books including <em>A Dream Called Home</em> by Reyna Grande and <em>See No Stranger</em> by Valarie Kaur.</h3><p></p><h3>Exhibition Viewing Hours: </h3><ul><li><strong>Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.</strong></li><li><strong>Open select Saturdays (12/18, 1/8, 1/22, 1/29, 2/5 and 2/12) </strong></li></ul><p><em><strong>*Open additional hours to tour groups by appointment at 408.864.5464</strong></em></p><h3></h3><p><strong>Important Note to Visitors: </strong></p><p>All visitors to the Euphrat are asked to observe the following requirements, in line with college policy and county health guidelines developed to protect your health and the health of others.</p><ul><li>Reservations are required for all visitors who are not students or district employees. Please use the online reservation system to register for your time to visit.</li></ul><ul><li>All visitors must follow De Anza College rules for coming to campus, which include providing proof they are fully vaccinated.</li></ul><ol><li>Students and employees will be asked to show their De Anza College ID.</li><li>Visitors who are not students or employees will be asked to show proof of completed vaccination. </li></ol><p><em>Note: Completed vaccination means at least two weeks have passed since you received your second shot, if Pfizer or Moderna, or your single shot of the Johnson &amp; Johnson (Janssen) vaccine.</em></p><ul><li>Face masks must be worn at all times while inside the museum and other campus buildings.</li><li>Capacity is limited to help practice safe social distancing</li><li>All staff are vaccinated and will maintain a safe distance from viewers members at all times.</li><li>Free parking is available in Lot A on the De Anza Campus. </li></ul>

<h3>Artist Spotlight: <em>Tom Kiefer</em></h3><p>Kiefer's series, "El Sueño Americano/The American Dream," is a photographic documentation of personal belongings carried by migrants and those seeking asylum that were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at a processing facility near the U.S./Mexico border.</p><p>Kiefer's intent is to explore the humanity of those who risk their lives crossing the desert into the United States and to inspire compassion and empathy for those who seek a better life.</p><p>About the artist: </p><p>While working as a janitor at a U.S. Customs and Border Protection processing facility near Ajo, Arizona, Kiefer asked for permission to retrieve canned food from the trash. The food had been carried by migrants and confiscated and discarded by Border Patrol agents. He wanted to bring it to a local food bank so it would not go to waste. When he started collecting the food, he saw what else was being thrown out: possessions such as rosaries, bibles, wallets, toothbrushes, shoes, clothing, belts, and family photos. These confiscations struck him as wrong. "The cruelty of stripping away such personal items from vulnerable people is dehumanizing, both to those whose belongings are taken and to those who enforce this policy," Kiefer says.</p>

<h3>Artist Spotlight: <em>Hector Dionicio Mendoza</em></h3><p>In his "White Wilderness/Maleza Blanca" series, Hector Dionicio Mendoza explores the complex relationship between nature and migration, immigration and class. Maleza are weeds or undergrowth, a plant that takes root where it's not wanted. His larger-than-life figurative sculptures and drawings emphasize the vulnerability and strength of those crossing through the wilderness and contested spaces and our deep connection to nature.</p><p>About the artist: </p><p>Hector is a professor in the Visual and Public Art Department at California State University Monterey Bay. His work is a commentary on society and drawn from his personal experiences as an immigrant from Mexico. He uses recycled clay, concrete, cardboard, and bark in combination with found objects.</p><p>Mendoza encourages students to:</p><p>• Surround themselves with ideas, explore possibilities, experiment, and be present.</p><p>• Get involved with communities.</p><p>• Be mindful, critical and, most importantly, emphasize self-care.</p><p>• Find a few good mentors whose opinions you trust.</p><p>• Don’t procrastinate.</p>

<h3>Artist Spotlight: <em>Nye' Lyn Tho</em></h3><p>Nye' Lyn Tho's "Natural Heir" series is a visual pun of natural hair and the embracing of it by people of the African Diaspora. As recently as 2019, California passed the Crown Act to prohibit discrimination against workers and students based on natural hair. "Having to mask one's identity to avoid racial injustices of course has huge psychological effects," Nye' says. The series "is a celebration and support to people who decide to embrace their own natural state of being."</p>

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