International German artist Vaago Weiland has come to San Antonio as part of a cultural collaboration with other local artists and is currently featuring "Weiland der Heiland" ("Weiland the Redeemer"), a black and white photo cycle containing 21 recognizable faces.

What began as a joke between Vaago and his colleagues, Mark Daniel Kress and Anna Link (also Vaago's photographers) soon became his inspiration for the controversial pieces represented at UTSA's downtown campus.

When asked why he chose to pose as Marilyn Monroe, Hitler, Einstein and Stalin to name a few, Vaago responded that his photo cycle is intended to make you ask yourself, "Who is telling you or trying to tell you the truth? Was it Stalin or Hitler? Who is really the redeemer?"

Vaago chose to display his exhibit at UTSA while participating in a cultural exchange with San Antonio Chicano artists Laura Varela (media artist and filmmaker), Guillermina "Gisha" Zabela (media artist and filmmaker), and muralists Alex Rubio and Jane Madrigal.

As part of the exchange, Varela and Zabela will visit Germany to display their artwork, create installations, lecture at Niederrhein University and present their exhibits at the Foundation of Art and Culture along with several churches.

While in San Antonio, Vaago will participate in three exhibits in August and September, and he plans to feature room installations, multi-media productions, videos and slideshows along with a personal demonstration regarding cultural destruction of foreign nations by the U.S.

Vaago enjoys challenging his viewers' beliefs and concepts about cultures and trends. According to his website he uses "sculptures, paintings, photographs and installations he has experienced and which raise questions and reflections" to capture his audience's attention.

The German artist began his training in sculpture between 1985 and 1988 and also studied architecture from 1989-1993 at RWTH Aachen University in Germany. His multimedia productions, including photographs, paintings, sculptures and installations may be found in the U.S., France, Germany and Indonesia.

Vaago will remain in San Antonio until the end of September. Then he will return to his home in Monchengladbach, Germany, to continue "working, producing art and expressing his feelings."

Local ongoing and upcoming exhibits include "Weiland der Heiland," the "All Star Series," intended to question the idea of socialism; and "Media Kunst: A Contemporary German Music and Film Symposium."

"Weiland der Heiland" is free and open to the public Monday-Friday, August 2-31 from 8am-5 pm at the UTSA Downtown Art Gallery at 501 W. Durango in the Durango Building. The "All Star Series" is open Monday through Friday 10am-5pm, and Saturday, 11 am-3 pm, and is located at the Flight Gallery at 1906 S. Flores.

Vaago's third and final exhibit, "Media Kunst," includes two films about religious and cultural influences of Eurocentrism in relation to Papua, New Guinea and Kabul, Afghanistan. Presentations will begin at 7:00 pm at the Blue Star Contemporary Art Center, located at 116 Blue Star.

For more information regarding Vaago Weiland's exhibits, contact Guillermina Zabala, Media Arts Director at gish@saysi.org or visit Vaago's website at www.vaagoweiland.com