New Carleton College Art Gallery Exhibit Focuses on Latino Political and Cultural Activism

The Carleton College Art Gallery presents “Latin American Posters: Public Aesthetics and Mass Politics,” an exhibition exploring themes of Latino political and cultural activism from the 1950s to the present, through the lens of bold designs from the University of New Mexico’s Sam L. Slick Collection of Latin American and Iberian posters.  The exhibit opens Friday, January 8 with a lecture by Teresa Eckman, assistant professor of Latin American art history at the University of Texas, San Antonio, titled “Latin American Posters: Graphic Elements,” at 7:30 p.m. in the Boliou Hall auditorium, followed by an opening reception in the Art Gallery from 8:30 to 10 p.m. The opening lecture and reception, as well as entrance to the exhibit, are free and open to the public.

Featuring over 50 dramatic images dating from the late 1950s to 2005, the posters originate from eleven Latin American countries and the United States, with the majority produced in Chile, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. These powerful images represent some of the most dynamic graphic designs from the second half of the 20th century.

Drawing from the nearly 10,000 pieces in the Sam L. Slick Collection of Latin American and Iberian Posters, housed in the University of New Mexico Libraries, the exhibition explore five broad-ranging themes, including Imperialism, Solidarity, and Self-Determination; Icons, Martyrs, and Charismatic Leaders; Human Rights, Feminism and Indigenism; Revolution and Popular Movement; and Culture, Society and Film.

In conjunction with the exhibit, Carleton College will also host a talk by artist and curator Maria Cristina Tavera on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010, at 7:30 p.m., entitled “Latino Posters (and beyond) for Minnesota.” Tavera’s presentation, in the Boliou Hall auditorium, kicks-off Carleton’s 2010 Census Poster Design Competition, co-sponsored by the Carleton College Office of Academic Civic Engagement (ACE) and VIZ (Visualizing the Liberal Arts), a new initiative funded by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

And, on Tuesday, Jan. 26 at 7 p.m. in the Boliou Hall auditorium, there will be a screening of Cuban director Humberto Solas’ 1968 film, “Lucia.” This Revolutionary-era film charts women’s roles during three periods in Cuban history.

More information about “Latin American Posters” can be found at http://apps.carleton.edu/campus/gallery/latinamericanposters/. The exhibition is organized by the UNM University Libraries Center for Southwest Research, Albuquerque, N.M., in collaboration with the National Hispanic Cultural Center.  Support for this project was provided by the University of New Mexico Center for Regional Studies.

The exhibit will be on display January 8 through March 11, 2010. The Carleton College Art Gallery is located in the lower level of the Music and Drama Center, near First and Winona Streets in Northfield. The gallery is open Monday through Wednesday, noon to 6 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, noon to 10 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from noon to 4 p.m. For more information on the exhibit, the lectures, or for disability accommodations, call the Carleton Art Gallery at (507) 222-4342 or visit www.carleton.edu/campus/gallery.