It's Dealer's Choice

The popular Mexican game of chance La Loteria is nothing like the lottery, but a bit like the Texas Lottery's "Loteria Texas" scratch off tickets based on the game. A traditional Loteria game is a lot like bingo played with images instead of numbers. A caller officiates the game by...

By Daniel Rodrigue

May 12, 2011

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The popular Mexican game of chance La Loteria is nothing like the lottery, but a bit like the Texas Lottery's "Loteria Texas" scratch off tickets based on the game. A traditional Loteria game is a lot like bingo played with images instead of numbers. A caller officiates the game by dealing from a deck of 54 cards that depict everyday objects, places and characters that are iconic and hold significant to the traditions and culture. Traditional decks contain cards ranging from characters like the lady (la dama) and the little devil (el diablito) to things such as the ladder (la escalera), The hand (la mana), the heart (el corazon) or the skull (la calavera). And, as a result of the games popularity, artists throughout Mexico and the southwest often reproduce the iconic images. Through June 4, the Loteria, Loteria! (Tres) mixed media exhibition at Bath House Cultural Center, 521 E. Lawther Road, features works created by 54 local artists who've re-imagined the pictures on the faces of the 54 cards in the deck. Gallery hours are noon to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays. Admission is free. For more information, call 214-670-8749 or visit bathhousecultural.com to preview some of the 54 works.
Tuesdays-Saturdays, 12-6 p.m. Starts: April 30. Continues through June 4, 2011

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