ing for more than five years, most recently working with a women’s self-help collec- tive along the border between Arizona and Mexico. This year, that collaboration lev- eled up with an exhibition at Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art titled “Divi- sion of Labor: Women Shifting a Transna- tional Gaze.” The museum had invited Sanchez and Muñoz to co-curate an exhi- bition of works drawn from its own collec- tion. Instead, the artists created an exhibition featuring not only works from the collection, but also 10 contemporary Latinx artists working in the borderlands. The collaboration went beyond two artists teaming up; it became a model for shared power and horizontal leadership within art museums and communities. EEEEE Nurture House 906 West Roosevelt Street Between pandemic shutdowns and the growing footprint of big developers, it’s been a tough year for creative venues. Un- daunted by the challenges, Palabras Bilin- gual Bookstore founder Rosaura “Chawa” Magaña launched a new creative hub called Nurture House just a few blocks west of the main drag in Roosevelt Row. It’s home to Wasted Ink Zine Distro, Abalone Mountain Press, Pachanga Press, and Por Vida Bakery, which means you can snag some great reading material and support local publishers while you’re enjoying tasty baked treats. Nurture House has front and central courtyards, which make great out- door gathering spaces, and the bookstore has a cozy room with a big purple couch where you can dive into books about arts and culture surrounded by walls filled with paintings by Jeff Slim. It’s also a commu- nity gathering space for book club and open mic nights, where diversity is cele- brated and authentic conversation, self-ex- pression, and listening are truly nurtured. EEEEE Mike Miskowski Mike Miskowski has made his political dis- dain known for more than five years by hanging it from bridges and overpasses and off-ramps all over town. He’s the guy behind the large-scale anti-Donald-Trump signage that decorated local freeways in 2016 and beyond. “Trump is Putin’s Bitch!” was Miskowski’s first greatest hit; other popular signs included “Trump Is A Whiny Bitch” and “Most Corrupt Presi- dent Ever.” Before that, “Trump Locks Ba- bies In Cages” got a lot of attention, as did “Your Vote Is Your Weapon.” Miskowski, Roosevelt Street Phoenix is a town that requires reli- able transportation. Whether that’s a car, the bus, and/or light rail, there’s no way to live here without traveling some ways for work, school, fun, etc. It’s not all bad, as a stretch of road like Roosevelt Street (especially be- tween Central Avenue and Seventh Street) offers a collection of gor- geous murals that’s easily enjoyed while cruising at 20 miles per hour. These pieces are a snapshot of the larger Phoenix culture, with an em- phasis on Latin culture especially, as well as a chance to further celebrate the city’s talented artists. Over the years, there have been some stand- outs, like Antoinette Cauley’s por- trait of author and activist James Baldwin on the Ten-O-One office building on Central Avenue, or the utterly gorgeous collaborative cityscape by Lalo Cota and other art- ists at 128 East Roosevelt Street. Each one emphasizes something unique, but collectively they speak to our city’s interest in great art as well as the role that plays in shaping our shared identity as a bright and bril- liant city. Next time you’re driving down Roosevelt, take the time to stop and enjoy the art — it’s your city smiling back at you amid the traffic jams and congested air. 52 BEST OF PHOENIX 2021 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2021.C0M | SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 me g al o p olit an lif e B E S T P OLITIC A L GR A F FITI B DRIV E S B E S T CR E A TIV E H UB T SING B T R Y A EET F OR R T
