February isn’t just for lovers — it’s also Black History Month, the start of the Lunar New Year and Mardi Gras! It’s the shortest month of the year, but this February is packed with art exhibits and events highlighting and celebrating the diversity and culture of Sacramentans, plus fresh local art to boot.
Festive and fun
If the start of the new year hasn’t been as rewarding as you’d hoped, don’t fret. You get a chance to start again! Celebrate the lunar or “Chinese” new year on Feb. 7 at the annual Lunar New Year Celebration at Arden Fair. This holiday, which takes place on Tuesday, Feb. 17, is traditionally celebrated in China and a number of Asian countries, but Sacramento is getting in on the fun with a day of dance, both traditional and contemporary, as well as handcrafted goods and hands-on cultural activities. The first 250 kids to attend will receive a complimentary red envelope, a traditional blessing for the new year. Activities last from 1-4 p.m. on the lower level. For more information, visit ardenfair.com/event/35006-lunar-new-year-celebration.
Mardi Gras — a festival associated with the end of Lenten fasting — may bring to mind New Orleans debauchery, but in Sacramento, there is a more wholesome, family-friendly option. The Fifth Annual City of Trees Parade & Mardi Gras Festival, taking place on Feb. 28 at Capitol Mall, will put creativity on display in downtown Sacramento with parade floats, a display of lit-up art cars from the Burning Man Festival, plus plenty of music, dancing and performances. Visit cityoftreesparade.org for more info and to get tickets.
Black History Month
Continuing on the cultural theme, Sacramento’s Black History Month celebrations include two distinct events that honor African American heritage through fashion, performance and visual arts.
On Feb. 28, the Sojourner Truth African Heritage Museum will present “Rise Like a Phoenix: A Celebration of Triumph, Hope, Love and Togetherness” at its annual Black History Heritage Festival. A “Classy Black Cowgirl” fashion competition fusing Western wear with an African aesthetic will showcase local creativity and pair well with a view of the museum’s current “Black Cowboys” exhibit, highlighting early Black presence and contributions to Western culture. Speakers, music, poetry and community awards round out programming for an inspiring day full of culture and creativity.
Meanwhile, West Sacramento’s Gallery 1075 hosts its annual Black History Month Art Show on view through Feb. 27, highlighting the contributions of local visual artists. An opening reception on Feb. 12, from 6-8 p.m., promises “an evening overflowing with vibrant creative artistry, insight, and culture,” along with light refreshments and a chance to support local artists in the community.
InFormation: revealing the art of the Royal Chicano Air Force
The legendary artist-activist collective, Royal Chicano Air Force (RCAF), has deep roots here in Sacramento, so it’s no surprise that several of Sacramento’s most well-known art institutions are celebrating that history this month. Both exhibits are part of a six-month-long regional celebration of the work and legacy of RCAF, which began in 1970 at Sacramento State and is still active today. Titled “InFormation: A Celebration of the Royal Chicano Air Force,” this massive collaborative exhibition created by La Raza Galeria Posada (LRPG) is spread across
15 different arts and cultural centers in Sacramento, Roseville, Davis and Woodland.
RCAF member, professor and historian Terezita Romo stated that this collaborative project showcases the impact of RCAF artists on Chicano and U.S. art history, in addition to the collective’s political and cultural contributions. “It will also bring attention to our region’s cultural vibrancy and the RCAF’s enduring spirit of art, activism and community,” Romo said.
The “R.C.A.F. in Mid-Flight: The Artwork and Influence of the Royal Chicano Air Force” exhibit opened last month at Verge Center for the Arts, showcasing a diverse collection of artworks made by RCAF artists as well as contemporary artists who created art to honor the collective. With sculpture, paintings, mixed media and prints from the last half of the century, this exhibit highlights personal and political narratives while documenting cultural movements. From Lorraine Garcia-Nakata’s massive 72 by 60-inch pastel works to Celia Herrera Rodríguez’s cut paper and watercolor mixed-media panels, the exhibit showcases more than just political posters, though those are there too.
A sculpture by queer Chicanx artist Gina Aparicio, an LA native now living in Georgia, features a crucified female figure with Earth for a womb. According to the artist’s statement, this piece “speaks to women being the givers of life, yet silenced, unseen and punished out of fear of them exercising their true power.”
The renowned Crocker Art Museum also plans to unveil what it calls “the largest exhibition ever of the Royal Chicano Air Force,” displaying nearly 100 RCAF artists’ screenprinted posters alongside an exhibit allowing viewers to see into a recreated print studio and learn about the process.
“The exhibition documents how RCAF artists used bold bicultural aesthetics and subversive humor to fuel activism, from supporting the United Farm Workers to launching community programs like La Raza Bookstore and Breakfast for Niños,” according to a press release.
RCAF exhibits are also on view this month at SMUD Art Gallery, CSUS Library Gallery, the California State Library and the Sacramento History Museum.
This story was funded by the City of Sacramento’s Arts and Creative Economy Journalism Grant to Solving Sacramento. Following our journalism code of ethics and protocols, the city had no editorial influence over this story and no city official reviewed this story before it was published. Our partners include California Groundbreakers, CapRadio, Hmong Daily News, Russian America Media, Sacramento Business Journal, Sacramento News & Review and Sacramento Observer. Sign up for our “Sac Art Pulse” newsletter here.
By Marie-Elena Schembri
