The theme of the exhibit is "In Lak Ek: You are my other me," which is Mayan, and "Ubuntu: There is no me without you. There is no you without me," from the Bantu languages of Southern Africa.

Vibiana Aparicio-Chamberlin's paintings and assemblage sculptures are made from recycled alley discards. These poignant art pieces carry pithy political meanings about the Gulf War, immigrant issues, and failed U. S. government policies. The sculpture titled Border CrossING, is made from old wood fencing and handsculpted ceramic vertebrae, in the form of a cross. The attached vertebrae are symbolic of the thousands of Mexican immigrants whose bodies are strewn throughout the California deserts north of Mexico.

The artist states that she wishes to "demystify art by showing that it can be made from common materials such as maps, old cabinet doors, canned food labels and old dolls.” These apparently insignificant things become significant when they are combined with paint, wood boxes, collage and hand embroidery. These mixed media art pieces reflect "Arte de la Vida Cotidiana": art using objects of everyday life. They reflect the beauty and struggle of working people. By using such domestic objects as an aluminum baking pan, an oil tablecloth, old fabric and buttons, she honors the activity of everyday life, especially the men and women who are the salt and mortar of our communities.

Aparicio-Chamberlin, a Resource Specialist for the Los Angeles Unified School District, a teatro actress and founder-director of the first bilingual street youth theater, El Teatro de los Ninos, focuses her art imagery on the family, women and children. Her political views are highly influenced by her involvement in The March 25 Coalition, an immigrant rights group, as well Latinos for Peace, an anti-war group and the Sierra Club.

"I make art because my passion is great for mothers and children. Despite my optimism and hope for a better world for nature, for people of color and for vulnerable women and children, my grief is great. So I make art to "desahogarme," I make art to vomit out this anger." The assemblage piece titled, My Grief is Great, shows a child in her white Holy Communion dress holding a withered tree branch. She gazes out to the viewer from behind a wire window as if to say. "Is this the world I am destined to live in?"

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