As March 2024 unfolds, a vibrant cultural tapestry awaits in Latin American museums and cultural centers across the United States. The Latin Times has explored a wide array of options to choose the highlights of the month to enjoy art, while connecting with our Mexican, Caribbean or South American roots.
From coast to coast, there will be art exhibits, music concerts, performances, ballet, and other events that offer a window into the history and the heart of the Americas for those fans of Latin American culture. These are our top choices for March 2024 Agenda in Latin American Museums and Cultural Centers in the U.S.
1. Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center (MHCAC), Florida
Cuban Classical Ballet of Miami - Choreographers Showcase
On March 22, 2024, the Miami Beach Bandshell will host a showcase, inviting audiences to immerse themselves in the creativity and innovation of choreographers. This event promises to feature a collection of works, pushing the boundaries of contemporary dance and highlighting the talent and artistic vision of the performers. The venue, located at Miami Beach, sets the stage for an evening of artistic expression and exploration.
'Tertulia' Fidays
Creation Art Center (CAC) presents "Viernes de Tertulia", a chic retrospective of creativity and artistic individuality. Different artists of different artistic backgrounds will be invited for an intimate look at their creative how's and why's. These encounters will be held at the Miami Hispanic Cultural Arts Center (MHCAC) throughout the year on the third Friday of every month.
2. Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), Los Angeles, California
"The mystery of painting" by Paola Vega
This exhibition, 'The Mystery of Painting,' by Argentine artist Paola Vega, is her first showcase in the Western United States. It opened in September 2023 and will continue to be available through March at the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) in Los Angeles, California.
"Paola Vega shows us the Mystery of Painting when we lose ourselves in enchantment, embraced by the works' suggestive colors and reflective mood,'' describes a critic, the celebrated scholar and art curator Patrick Frank, in MOLAA's website. He adds: "She paints abstractly on a scale to engulf and surround the viewer, filling the visual field. The works cover most of the available wall space, immersing us at every turn."
"Intersected Horizons" by Alexandre Arrechea
"Intersected Horizons" is the first solo museum show in California that explores the artistic practices of the well-known visual artist Alexandre Arrechea, a contemporary Afro-Cuban artist based between Spain and the USA for more than two decades, and the former co-founder of the Los Carpinteros collective.
In this exhibit, which includes paintings, installations, sculptures, photographs, and video art, "Arrechea's method of transgressing the limits of traditional artifacts and materials as a point of examination is redefined as a social and political exploration that melds art, history, and archaeological forms," states Gabriela Urtiaga, MOLAA Chief Curator.
3. El Museo del Barrio, New York City
Something Beautiful: Reframing La Colección
"Something Beautiful: Reframing La Colección" is El Museo del Barrio's most ambitious presentation of its unique and diverse permanent collection, which has focused over two decades on preserving Puerto Rican and broader Latin American art and culture in the U.S. The exhibition will conclude on March 10th, 2024. So, if you have not yet had the opportunity to visit this unique museum in the heart of NYC, March is the time to do so.
The exhibition presents about 500 artworks. It 'cuts across traditional chronological, geographic, and media-specific categories,' reconsidering the collection through new interdisciplinary approaches rooted in El Museo del Barrio's foundational history and legacy. This forward-thinking model focuses on the contribution of Amerindian, African, and European cultures as the basis of visual production in the Americas and the Caribbean," as described on the website.
4. Hispanic Society Museum & Library, New York City
"Dominican Yorks"
This ongoing exhibition, commencing in February and extending through June, showcases the collaborative efforts of three Dominican-born visual artists residing in New York. Together, they curate a collection of artworks engaging in artistic dialogue with the Hispanic Society's collection, and their individual aesthetic approaches as Dominican immigrants in New York City.
5. National Museum of Puerto Rican Art and Culture, Chicago
'Arte de La Borinqueña' by Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez
Writer and creator of the superhero La Borinqueña, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, will exhibit his work from March 2 to October 26, 2024, at the National Museum of Puerto Rican Art and Culture in Chicago. On the opening day, from 10 am to 2 pm, there will be a "Meet and Greet" with the award-winning graphic novelist.
"Through the serialized comic medium, Miranda-Rodriguez has effectively emphasized the significance of narrating Puerto Rico's history, addressing contemporary social and environmental issues, and celebrating the diverse Puerto Rican diaspora," describes the museum's website.
6. National Museum of Mexican Art, Chicago, Illinois
Sor Juana Festival
The Sor Juana Festival is a multidisciplinary festival that honors one of Mexico's greatest writers, Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz, a 17th-century Mexican nun who valued and fought for a woman's right to education. Sor Juana was a celebrated playwright, mathematician and poet in her own time and continues to inspire women to this day.
Among other shows and events scheduled by the National Museum of Mexican Art in this festival that goes from March 2 through June 1, 2024, here are some options to participate during March:
- March 2, 2024. Noa Sainz Concert. "Mexican singer Noa Sainz is one of Latin music's most provocative young artists", the museum says. Since 2018, she has been making a significant impact on the music scenes in Europe, Latin America, and the United States as a Spanish-speaking R&B artist. Her chart-topping single "Frío" on Spotify has contributed to her rising prominence.
- March 11, 2024: Frida. The National Museum of Mexican Art will present a screening of Amazon MGM Studios' FRIDA, which offers an "intimately raw and magical journey through the life, mind, and heart of iconic artist Frida Kahlo."
- March 22 – March 24, 2024: Wilma. Interpreted by actress and dancer Itzhel Razo, "Wilma" recounts the tale of a young girl who finds herself estranged in her homeland, isolated by the racism and classism enforced by her grandmother. Forbidden from learning Maya and associating with Maya speakers, she grapples with her identity. When one of the worst hurricanes in history strikes the peninsula, a Maya-language cyclone alert is issued. Unable to communicate with others, she struggles to survive the hurricane alone.
- March 30, 2024: An Evening of Mariachi Sirenas. To honor women in Mariachi music and acknowledge the growing influence of this genre in the U.S., the National Museum of Mexican Art will present a concert featuring "Mariachi Sirenas," showcasing the talent and passion that have long been integral to Chicago's musical landscape.
7. Latino Cultural Center, Dallas, Texas
ART214 Biennial Juried Exhibition
The Latino Cultural Center is one of the five art centers in Dallas participating in the ART214 Biennial Juried Exhibition, which can be visited from March 15 through April 19. Described by The Dallas Morning News as "a cornerstone of Dallas Arts Month, the exhibition has transitioned into a biennial showcase, evolving to deepen its impact and celebrate the rich tapestry of artistry thriving in the North Texas region."
8. Latin American Cultural Center (LACC), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Mexican Masks. Symbols, Celebrations, Satire and Safety
This exhibition, available through April 20, explores the history of mask use in Mexican prehistory and history. It utilizes videos, photographs, and masks to illustrate their role in elaborate, colorful dances and performances in contemporary Mexico.
The Latin American Cultural Center explains, "Masks in Mexico have been used for thousands of years to portray objects and themes as varied as plants and animals, old and young, ethnic, political, economic, and social differences, and especially the fantastical and supernatural."
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