euskalkultura.eus

New York, NY.  The Basque club of New York is now exhibiting “Geroa and Itxaropena,” by Angela Mejias.  Born in Extremadura, but having resided in Bayonne since childhood, Mejias reflects, in this selection of sixty photographs, images of the Basque Country that feel very close to the photographer. “That is why the title is in Basque.  What other language could express what I feel living in this place, not to mention that despite being from Extremadura, they never made me feel different,” explains Mejias to EuskalKultura.com

The exhibit was presented in Montreal during the 15th anniversary of the Euskaldunak Basque Club of Quebec.  Transporting the images from Bayonne to America was supported by the Euskal Kultur Erakundea, the Basque Cultural Institute of Iparralde. “It was quite an adventure, crazy and risky but with the support of Pantxoa Etchegoin, director of the Basque Cultural Institute of Ustaritze and of Adelaide Daraspe, president of Montreal’s Basque club, I threw myself into the pool wondering if it was possible.”

[One of the photos of the “Geroa eta Itxaropena” exhibit]

From Montreal the exhibit traveled to New York, again with the support and involvement of more friends, in this case Ibon Santiago, Jose Antonio Alcayaga and Itziar Albisu, president of New York’s Basque club.  It was inaugurated last weekend at the clubhouse.

The show can be seen in New York until October 15th and then, Mejias would like it to travel to other Basque clubs in the US, or nearby countries.  Once the works have been moved from Europe to America, Mejias and the directors of the Basque clubs in Montreal and New York hope that other clubs can take advantage of this opportunity as well.

[Friends from Montreal’s Basque club who came to New York to support Angela Mejias at the inauguration of the exhibit there. (Photo AMejias)]

Mejias, originally from “a small town called Valdelacalzada,” identifies greatly with the experience of other immigrants, even though she was only one when her family came to the Basque Country. “Why does it interest me so much? Maybe out of curiosity, because this immigration this is really strong.  Despite the fact that I don’t feel it like others, I have the memory of my father who always talked about “there,” the town, the land and its people, the customs…Maybe that’s where the desire to find the answer to a thousand questions comes from and to know that when you leave a country that you will always have this knot in your stomach that brings a tear to your eye when you hear someone speak of it,” she concludes.

-For more information on Angela Mejias, www.angelamejias.com