Arts of Resistance: Politics and the Past in Latin America

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Olinda Silvano and Wilma Maynas (pictured),"The San Isidro Mural," nd

Photo by Municipality of San Isidro, Lima.

Arts of Resistance: Politics and the Past in Latin America illustrates how communities in Latin America use traditional or historic art forms to express contemporary political realities.

Displaying art and performance by artists in Mexico, Guatemala, Peru, El Salvador, Ecuador and Chile, and paying special attention to marginalized communities, this exhibition explores the role of creativity during times of political turmoil.

Latin American culture and folkloric arts are already well known abroad but we’re inviting visitors to take a closer look, to understand the political and social significance of these artistic traditions. For example, one of the works on display will be a contemporary codex, or pictorial manuscript, from Mexico. Written using pre-Hispanic symbols, this work tells the story of the forced disappearance in 2014 of 43 students in Ayotzinapa, Mexico. This work connects pre-contact Mesoamerican peoples and the Spanish conquest with Neo-colonialism and racism in Mexico today.

This is a unique opportunity for visitors to learn about Latin American politics through the lens of contemporary art. This exhibition demonstrates how objects can embody important historical and cultural memories and has the potential to influence how Latin American art and culture are showcased in museums and galleries.