Many Latin American communities celebrate a girl’s fifteenth birthday with a party called a quinceañera. Traditionally, a girl’s father joins her on the dance floor for a special waltz, just the two of them. One family portrayed in this show transformed this tradition when the mother invited all her friends to dance with their daughters. Their faces gleamed with tenderness and pride. All of a sudden, each mother-daughter pair whirled and began exchanging their daughters, spinning through the space as they danced in new constellations, always shining with the same joy.
As the artist became a mother in a new country herself, she got to know mothers in the area, who are not only pillars of their nuclear families, but also of their communities. Building on deep friendships, these mothers created a strong support network that continues to expand and strengthen in the form of the non-profit Latinas 413, which highlights Latinas’ growing role in the Berkshires’ landscape.
The exhibition is guest curated by Carolina Porras-Monroy
Land as Materiality, A Space for Spirits introduces the work of three Indigenous artists working with materiality and form. Each artists intentional use of materials are rooted in their own cultural heritage and personal experiences, employing both natural and synthetic materials to explore themes of historical suppression, bodily autonomy, and communal ties. Ash, wax, metal, porcupine quills, paper, animal hide, and plants are central to their narratives. As their works visit new understandings and connections are fostered.
All exhibitions and events are open to the MCLA community and the general public.
