2026
February 21 – March 20, 2026
Her.Manos Photography | Smile Now Cry Later
In the exhibition “Smile Now Cry Later”, Her.Manos Photography explores the emotional duality inherent in Chicano experience through black and white portraiture. The exhibition is free and open to the public and will kick off with an opening reception from 6 to 8 p.m., Saturday, February 21, 2026 at the Oak Cliff Cultural Center (223 W. Jefferson Blvd., Dallas, TX 75208).
Smile Now Cry Later is a photographic study of Chicano identity, rooted in the philosophy of duality – the understanding that joy and pain are not opposites, but two sides of the same coin. The subjects photographed by Her.Manos Photography represent resilience of the human spirit. The “Smile”, their armor and the “Cry”, their humanity. Utilizing a black and white halftone aesthetic in the photographs emphasizes the complexity of identity and serves as a metaphor for how Chicano stories are often printed onto the public consciousness: grainy, high-contrast, and occasionally misunderstood.
Adrian Garcia Mendez is a multidisciplinary artist based in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Through his creative practice, Her.Manos Photography, Mendez investigates the intersections of cultural heritage, urban identity, and the visceral nature of the human condition. His work is characterized by a rigorous commitment to monochromatic film and digital photography, employing high-contrast tonality and half-tone textures to evoke a sense of timelessness and grit. Mendez’ work has been featured in exhibitions across the DFW metroplex including at Kirk Hopper Fine Art, 500X Gallery, Latino Cultural Center, and Plush Gallery.
