William Estrata’s Multiples and Multitudes

Hyde Park Art Center, the renowned non-profit hub for contemporary art located on Chicago’s vibrant South Side, announces Multiples and Multitudes, the first solo exhibition of Chicago-based Mexican American artist and educator William Estrada whose socially engaged practice has been rooted in Chicago neighborhoods for the last twenty years. Programs presented in tandem with the exhibition will reflect Estrada’s dedication to collaborating with youth, community members, teachers, and artists to reimagine public and educational spaces to unite people and amplify local voices, creating space for others to express themselves artistically and politically. William Estrada:Multiples and Multitudes will be on view at the Hyde Park Art Center from July 22 to October 29, 2023.

Free public programming, all led by the artist himself, is as follows:

Summer Center Day

Saturday, July 22, 1-4 p.m.

Center Day is a recurring program that marks the opening of new exhibitions with free talks and experiences that connect artists, audiences, and communities. For summer Center Day, the Art Center celebrates two bilingual exhibitions William Estrada: Multiples and Multitudes and Edra Soto: Destination/El Destino: A Decade of GRAFT with artmaking activities, workshops, and BOMBA!, a lively Puerto Rican musical performance.

Building Legacies in Public and in Practice
In partnership with National Museum of Mexican Art

Thursday, October 5, 6-8 p.m.

Estrada will be joined by Cesareo Moreno, Chief Curator of the National Museum of Mexican Art (NMMA), for a conversation that explores parallels between the practices of Estrada and the late artist and activist Carlos Cortez. The conversation will highlight the influence of Cortez onto generations of Mexican-American artists in Chicago and focus on shared values and methodologies present in the two artists’ practices that intend to uplift community voices.  This program is a collaboration between Hyde Park Art Center and the NMMA on the occasion of the exhibition William Estrada: Multiples and Multitudes and the centennial commemoration of Carlos Cortéz’s legacy.

Mobile Street Art Cart Workshop
Saturday, October 14, 1-4 p.m.

Estrada will activate his participatory Mobile Street Art Cart on display in the exhibition. This print-based drop-in workshop will touch on printmaking as a tool for political activism and education, and highlight local voices and issues faced by communities across Chicago. The Mobile Street Art Cart amplifies the creativity that already exists in the communities by addressing relevant social issues through art-making in the streets.