"Guera" by Sam Romero

'We Are Not Related' will be on display until March 18. More about the Melvin Gallery »

LAKELAND, Fla. (Feb. 16, 2011) -- Florida Southern College will display the artistic creations of Sam Romero and Gil Rocha from Feb. 18-March 18 at the Melvin Art Gallery on the College's campus.

Romero is the graphic design program director at FSC. Rocha is a Laredo, Texas-based artist. Both are 2007 Master of Fine Arts graduates of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, one of the oldest accredited independent schools of art and design in the United States.

The FSC exhibit is titled "We Are Not Related," a name that refers to the variety of pieces that will be on display. Romero said he and Rocha each produce art that complements the other's, but nothing in the exhibit is related to anything else.

As interdisciplinary artists, Romero and Rocha will display paintings, sculptures, and installation pieces as well as photographs and videos. There will also be photographs representing Romero's recent project called "Guera," which explores the media's interpretation of the Chola, a Mexican-American subculture.

A talk with the artists and a lecture will take place in the Melvin Art Gallery at 6 p.m. on Friday, Feb. 18. The opening reception begins at 7 p.m. The public is welcome to both events.

The exhibit may be viewed during gallery hours, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.