The Latino Presence in American Art
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Curated by Carmen E. Ramos
Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art presents the rich and varied contributions of Latino artists in the United States since the mid-twentieth century when the concept of a collective Latino identity began to emerge. The exhibition is drawn entirely from the Smithsonian American Art Museum’s pioneering collection of Latino art. It explores how Latino artists shaped the artistic movements of their day and recalibrated key themes in American art and culture.
The exhibition presents works in all media by 72 leading modern and contemporary artists. Of the 92 artworks featured in the exhibition, 63 have been acquired by the museum since 2011, representing its deep and continuing commitment to collecting Latino art. Our America includes works by artists who participated in all the various artistic styles and movements, including abstract expressionism; activist, conceptual, and performance art; and classic American genres such as landscape, portraiture, and scenes of everyday life. Latino artists across the United States were galvanized by the civil rights movement of the 1960s and 1970s. They created new images of their communities and examined bicultural experiences. Many critically probed American history and popular culture, revealing the possibilities and tensions of expansionism, migration, and settlement. Other Latino artists in the exhibition devoted themselves to experimentation, pushing the limits of their chosen medium. “Our America” presents a picture of an evolving national culture that challenges expectations of what is meant by “American” and “Latino.”
Artists featured in the exhibition reflect the rich diversity of Latino communities in the United States. Our America showcases artists of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, and Dominican descent, as well as other Latin American groups with deep roots in the United States. By presenting works by artists of different generations and regions, the exhibition reveals recurring themes among artists working across the country. The exhibition catalog includes essays images and additional information on the artists.
Hunter Museum of American Art, Chattanooga, TN. Feb. 17 – Jun. 4, 2017.
Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, FL. Oct. 27, 2016 – Jan. 22, 2017.
Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, PA.Jun. 26 – Oct. 2, 2016.
Delaware Art Museum, Wilmington, DL. Mar. 5 – May 29, 2016.
Arkansas Art Center, Little Rock, AK. Oct. 16, 2015 – Jan. 17, 2016.
Utah Museum of Fine Arts, Salt Lake City, UT. Feb. 6, 2015 – May 17, 2015.
Crocker Art Museum, Sacramento, CA. Sept. 25 – Jan. 11, 2015.
The Patricia and Phillip Frost Art Museum, Miami, FL. Apr. 2 – Jun. 22, 2014.
Smithsonian, American Art Museum, Washington D.C. Oct. 25, 2013 – Mar. 2, 2014.
Source: Smithsonian Institution
