Photographic ëMemoryí Artists Chiriboga, Weinstein Follow Different Routes in Reflective Exhibit by Christine CubÈ Artists Lucia Chiriboga and Joyce Ellen Weinstein take very different avenues in their interpretation of ìFrom the Depths of Memory,î the new exhibit at the Marninart Gallery. Chiriboga, a native of Quito, Ecuador, produced pieces that examine the struggles of the indigenous people and peasants who populated a large piece of real estate in Ecuador called Tenguel. The land passed through dispossession and terrestrial divide before becoming partitioned into towns and hundreds of small parcels of land. The story of Tenguel is similar to the early plight of the indigenous American Indians who were forced from their lands and homes. Chiribogaís work takes on a decidedly heartrending feel as viewers are faced with the symbols of the Ecuadorian peopleótheir strong faces, the oversize images of land documents and official municipal papers, and the eventual town grid and blueprint of what was once Tenguel. Itís a photographic essay that will take your breath away and make you wish you could turn back the clock. The prints in Chiribogaís repertoire are similar to one anothe r, from their size and the repeated images of native Ecuadorians to the color of the photographs and the burned edges of each frame. The other half of the exhibition features the artwork of Weinstein, a Jewish American artist from New York. Weinstein takes exhibit-goers on her private journey to Israel and Eastern Europe, where she collected a host of photographic images and physical pieces from her travels to create layers of art that can only be described as historical reality, distortion of reality and collective memory. Her work resembles a scrapbook with multiple layers of media adhered to the same ìcanvas,î which includes cut-up pieces of photographs, branches or other types of wood, rope, small pieces of paper and metal. Her canvas, which comes in the form of a large, flat piece of plywood or handmade paper, is also natural and very unconventional. Most of these pieces feature a barely legible penmanship that guides visitors to different places such as Lithuania, Jerusalem and Russia. Weinsteinís interpretation of ìFrom the Depths of Memoryî takes on a more abstract feel than Chiribogaís. Visitors know what theyíre looking at only by considering the whole of her artwork. For instance, in a depiction of the Kovno Ghetto, Weinstein includes small photographic images, an empty photo slide in the center and watercolor images of peopleís faces scattered throughout, all flanked by an abstract ìforestî with trees and real wood sticks on each side. Another interesting piece, ìReflections of Warî is an art book with 14 linoleum cuts and two collages. The cover of the book is made of wood and the front features wrought-iron scrollwork with broken mirror pieces screwed to the top of the book between metal bars. Weinsteinís work can almost be considered a ìliving history,î where she strives to achieve acceptance and understanding for her own past history and that of her Jewish heritage. Both artistsí creations are available for sale at the Marninart Gallery, with prices ranging from $2,000 to $4,000. ìFrom the Depths of Memory,î which is being co-sponsored by the Ecuadorian Embassy, runs through Nov. 6 at the Marninart Gallery, 406th 7th St., NW, which is also home to several other small art galleries. Marninart Gallery is open Wednesday to Saturday. For more information, please call (202) 347 3327 or visit www.marninart.net. Christine CubÈ is a freelance writer in Alexandria, Va.