Augusta Savage Gallery presents an exhibit entitled Young Artists: Paintings from a Mayan Chontal Community, which will be on display from September 19 through October 17, with an Opening Reception on Tuesday, September 19 from 5 to 7pm.

Young Artists: Paintings from a Mayan Chontal Community is an exhibit of paintings curated by artist and educator Leandro Soto. Created by Mayan youth from Mexico, these vivid and enlightening works document both the powerful influence of nature and the cultural impact of an ancient mythology.

Leandro Soto, who worked for seven years with this particular Mayan community in Tabasco, Mexico, has collected the paintings of these children, ranging in ages from 6 through 16, and generously lent them to Augusta Savage Gallery. He says, "I created a workshop, which I opened up for anyone who wanted to paint with me. That's the way it started. The workshop was a cultural experiment, which was the result of giving tools and materials to a community that was not totally visual-oriented, but was more oriented towards dance and music. It encouraged them to put images to their complex mythology and cultural narratives. These paintings are like illustrations for a book that is written in their minds."