Sylvia Orozco: The right path

Congratulations to Mexic-Arte Museum's Sylvia Orozco on receiving the Ohtli Award from the Republic of Mexico. This honor from the Mexican government – the name comes from the Nahuatl word for "path" – recognizes distinguished individuals who "have blazed a path for and improved the lives of members of the Mexican community beyond Mexico's political borders" and "promoted the prosperity of Mexican communities abroad." As executive director of Mexic-Arte, Orozco has worked with Mexico's National Council on Arts and Culture to bring many of that nation's cultural treasures to Central Texas, where they could be shared with its northern neighbors. The presentation of traditional and contemporary Mexican, Latino, and Latin American art and culture has provided invaluable international exposure to the artists and artisans of Mexico, as well as important cultural enrichment and education to the members of this community. Case in point: Mexic-Arte's current exhibition of "From Revolution to Renaissance: Mexican Art from the Aaron Collection," a rare showing of work made in the 1890s through 1950s by artists largely unknown outside their homeland. The Instituto de los Mexicanos en el Exterior, an agency within the Secretariat of External Relations of Mexico that promotes ties between Mexico and the Mexican communities in the U.S., presented the award to Orozco during a Diez y Seis de Septiembre celebration at the Four Seasons Hotel on Friday, Sept. 14.