Art Meets Literature in 'Painting Borges'

More than 15 artists have created works based on the literary writings of Jorge Luis Borges (1899-1986) for the sublime “Painting Borges: Art Interpreting Literature.” The exhibition opens April 30 at Latino Arts Inc. in the United Community Center (1028 S. Ninth St.).<br /><br />Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Borges grew up in a home that had a library of more than 1,000 books. Surrounded by inspiration as a child, Borges later achieved renown for his own essays, poems and short stories. Among his numerous awards for literature was the prestigious Prix International in 1961, an honor he shared with playwright Samuel Beckett. Many of Borges' works, including his famous <em>The Garden of Forking Paths</em>, deal with fantasy and mystery.<br /><br />Knowledge of Borges' fascinating background enhances the exceptional multimedia images in the exhibition. Borges was plagued by progressive blindness beginning in his early 30s and focused inward on his imagination. Latino Arts Inc. divides the artwork into philosophical sections that Borges explored in his texts: freedom and destiny, identity and memory, and faith and divinity.<br /><br />Information accompanies the works to helps viewers find greater meaning in Borges' writings and these superb images. Laura Delgado's expressive painting <em>The Female Other </em>bisects a canvas with an image of a small girl placed in dark shadows, her face covered by her hands. Below the girl is a smiling, child-like stick figure drawn in red crayon and bathed in warm light.<br /><br />This exquisite collection, on display through July 13, expands on art and literature with compelling emotional sensitivity. For those who want to combine art with music, the Afro-Latin group Mango Blue performs at Latino Arts 7:30 p.m. May 11.<br /><br /> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;"> </p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;"> </p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;"><strong>Art Happenings</strong></p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">“The Mother of All Crawls”</p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">Waukesha Art Crawl</p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">Downtown Waukesha</p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">Waukesha's seasonal art crawl features more than 20 venues and 130 artisans. A trolley will transport viewers along Main Street for this event, running 4-10 p.m. May 5.<br /><br /></p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;"> </p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">Carol Prusa: Optic Nerve</p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">John Michael Kohler Arts Center</p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">608 New York Ave., Sheboygan</p> <p style="margin-right: 0.5in;">Artist Carol Prusa crafts acrylic domes and details them with intricate powdered graphite and silverpoint. The works in this exhibition, which opens May 6, reference science and nature.</p>