Amigos Del Museo Del Barrio El Museo Del Barrio

El Museo Del Barrio, ny - exhibitions on view during fiscal year 2023raphael montaez ortiz - a contextual retrospectiveapril 14 september 11, 2022co-curated by rodrigo moura and julieta gonzalez:radical gestures are at the core of raphael montaez ortiz' life and work. Radical gestures that propose destruction in art as an antidote to the hegemonic narrative of eurocentrism, capitalism, and progress. Radical gestures that seek out the healing potential in art and the return to ancestral and indigenous forms of knowledge.this exhibition presents sixty-five years of the artist's trajectory, including his radical gesture of founding El Museo Del Barrio in 1969, the institution that now presents this exhibition, his first major presentation here since 1988. Born in brooklyn, the artist's formative years working in new york and his activism for the puerto rican community offer a starting point for the exhibition's narrative, preceding his eventual relocation to new jersey where he expanded his philosophical thinking, became a mentoring professor to new generations, and continued to experiment with new media.in his phd thesis defended in 1982, montaez ortiz elaborated on the notion of "authenticating art" as the conceptual framework for his production. This singular concept takes on a range of interconnected meanings in his practice and includes the healing potential of imagination, the communion between physiological and psychological processes, and a multiethnic approach that in the artist's particular case deals with his personal history and diverse background. Taking the cue from anthropologist edward sapir's 1924 essay culture, genuine and spurious, montaez ortiz uses the term "authenticating" as one that is characteristic of ancestral cultures, whereas the "spurious" resides in the alienation brought about by modern industrialization and consumer culture. In this sense, his thinking and artistic practice can be read as a dialectic between the authenticating and the spurious, which in turn organizes the thematic sections in the exhibition and informs the contextual relations between ortiz and his peers, working not only in new york, but in other parts of the world. Today, we witness a post-cartesian turn in fields such as art, philosophy, and anthropology. This new moment encourages us to reembrace magical thinking, animism, and a symbiotic relation to nature in order to counteract the potentially lethal effects of unfettered "progress," its concomitant destruction of our environment, and the convivial relation between humans and other species. In this context, a revision of raphael montaez ortiz' work is more relevant and necessary than ever.raphael montanez ortiz: a contextual retrospective is presented by [presentada por] leadership support is provided by tony bechara. Major support is provided by the terra foundation, andy warhol foundation, and rockefeller brothers fund. Additional support is provided by the new york city department of cultural affairs (dcla). Domesticanxoctober 27, 2022 march 26, 2023curated by susanna v. temkindomesticanx brings together seven latinx artists whose practices address home, decoration, spirituality, and healing. The show is inspired by domesticana, an idea first conceptualized by artist, scholar, and critic amalia mesa-bains. Originally published in a 1995 essay that is today considered an essential text in chicano/a/x and latino/a/x art history, domesticana offered a response to the male-dominated rasquachismo, an earlier term coined by scholar toms ybarra-frausto. Proposed from a feminist perspective, domesticana shifts the defiant and make-do inventiveness that characterizes rasquache vernacular sensibility to the specific experience of working-class women. Drawing from mesa-bains's own acknowledgement that "terminologies must remain porous, sensibilities never completely named, and categories shattered," domesticanx expands the artist's initial theory through the lens of queerness and intersectionality.encompassing painting, textile, ceramics, photography, and installation, the exhibition features a range of media by artists whose diverse backgrounds extend the original chicana emphasis of domesticana. In addition to mesa-bains, nitza tufio and maria brito, fellow veterana artists from the same generation, are represented by both historical and recent pieces. Their work is displayed alongside newly created art by amarise carreras, cielo flix-hernndez, joel gaitan, and misla, all making their museum debut. Exploring such subjects as the altar, family, self-fashioning, and the domestic sphere, the exhibition is organized in immersive displays developed in conversation with the artists. Together, these presentations offer a cross-generational dialogue that reflects the emancipatory aims of mesa-bains's exhortation for domesticana as expression to "undo the wounds of patriarchy and colonization. "domesticanx is supported by the rockefeller brothers fund, with additional funding provided by the new york city department of cultural affairs in partnership with the new york city council.juan francisco elso: por amricaoctober 27, 2022 march 26, 2023curated by guest curator olga viso in collaboration with susanna v. temkinjuan francisco elso (b. 1956-1988, havana) emerged as an internationally recognized artist in cuba and mexico during the 1980s. Using natural, earthen materials, his sculptural practice examines the complex formations of contemporary cuban, caribbean, and latin american identities. In elso's conception, these prismatic subjectivities are grounded in rich, indigenous histories that have been materially shaped by centuries of colonial oppression and the transatlantic slave trade. As reflected in his works that contest and reconceive inherited narratives and mythological traditions, elso's amrica is a transnational and transhemispheric cultural imaginary that remains unfinished and is still evolving. Based in havana, elso was part of the first generation born and educated in post-revolutionary cuba. He briefly lived in mexico city in the years leading up to his untimely death from cancer at age 32. Yet, the artist's modest artistic outputsome thirty extant sculptures and works on paper produced between 1978 and 1988has continued to have a global resonance. His best-known sculpture, por amrica [for america] (1986), is considered an icon of late 20th century latin american art, and an important precursor to today's post- and decolonial perspectives in contemporary art.despite elso's influence his artistic production has had very little exposure in the us since the early 1990s. The ephemeral nature of his practice, coupled with the complexities of uscuban political relations, has made the loan and display of his work a challenge. Despite such limitations, this exhibition brings together nearly all of elso's mature oeuvre for the first time since his solo exhibition in havana in 1982, including newly discovered drawings and works previously believed lost. Presented through a contextual rather than monographic approach, elso's prescient work is positioned at the center of a multigenerational dialogue of artists active in the caribbean, and throughout north, south, and central america. Organized into several, interrelated thematic sections featuring 45 works by more than 30 artists, the presentation offers vital crosscurrents between elso's art and the creative output of both close colleagues and others who, despite having not known him, demonstrate parallel affinities. Together, elso and these polyphonic voices reflect a reorientation of western hegemonies and open new possible alternatives rooted in the americas an ambition which echoes El Museo Del Barrio's own foundational ethos and continued commitments. Juan francisco elso: por amrica is accompanied by a bilingual publication, co-published by El Museo Del Barrio and [name] publications.the exhibition is made possible thanks to major support from the andy warhol foundation for the visual arts. Additional support is provided by tony bechara; celso gonzalez-falla; craig robins; steven and judy shank, and john thomson. Commissions are made possible by via art fund and the elizabeth firestone graham foundation. Supported in part with public funds from the new york city department of cultural affairs in partnership with the new york city council.methuselahreynier leyva novo's methuselah is a digital artwork that virtually reproduces the over 6,000 mile transnational migratory journey of a single monarch butterfly. The project follows a butterfly avatar as it travels from southern canada, across the united states, and into mexico, and back, as part of the annual reproductive cycle of the species. This epic journey is hosted and reproduced in real time on a dedicated website, mobile app, and a mixed-reality install

El Museo Del Barrio public programs fy 2023july 2022- september 2022 this period was marked by the return of a number of our annual large-scale celebrations and in-person adult programs.adult & family programming:we welcomed back uptown bounce for the first time in person in over two years on thursday, july 21 by celebrating the spirit that birthed the raphael montaez ortiz: a contextual retrospective exhibition and El Museo Del Barrio the puerto rican imagination. We presented three nights organized around an all puerto rican women dj lineup and featuring local puerto rican visual artists. The program highlighted the role of puerto rican women as leaders, particularly during the current socio-political moment which has threatened women's autonomy. Each program included tours of the raphael montaez ortiz exhibition led by museum educators and opportunities for dialogue, social engagement and art making, with artists, domino playing, and a photo booth. The first night (july 21) included dj sets by dj taina enikeyi and bembona. We commissioned a backdrop by artist and educator kay love who also led a graffiti art activity for attendees. Attendees were also able to enjoy a specially curated menu by chef gabriela ramos. The second evening on thursday, july 28 featured a dj set by pam jones and nina sky. The menu was curated by jesenia lopez and plant materia. The program included a commissioned backdrop by artist cleofus, in addition to domino tables by capicu! The party. The closing night of uptown bounce on thursday, august 4 featured the sounds of sunny cheeba and soniwithaneye. The evening also included a printmaking workshop by artist and educator sylma santos santori as well as a commissioned backdrop by bluster one. The program was designed in collaboration with the museum of the city of new york, which presented programming on their terrace across the three evenings. On september 13 in celebration of hispanic heritage month, we partnered with word up community bookshop/librera comunitaria to celebrate the critically acclaimed author, sandra cisneros at the new york launch of her new book of poems woman without shame/mujer sin vergenza. This is cisneros's first collection of poems in 28 years, and the first to be published in english and spanish. The intimate evening was held in El Museo's El teatro, and featured a reading by sandra cisneros, followed by a conversation with poet and activist robin morgan. The evening ended with an audience q&a and book signing. It was a packed house with 286 people in attendance.exhibition related programming: for the closing weekend of the exhibition raphael montaez ortiz a contextual retrospective at El Museo Del Barrio we organized a day-long celebration on saturday, september 10, featuring a live performance by the artist himself, as well as a panel discussion honoring the impact and legacy of the artist, educator and founder of El Museo. The program began with a special performance inspired by montaez ortiz's legendary paper bag destruction concert. Audience members were invited to shred their worries in a cathartic, collective experience led by montaez ortiz. The releasing performance will be followed by an introductory keynote by art historian, media scholar, and curator chon noriega, and a lively discussion with chief curator of El Museo Del Barrio, and curator of the retrospective, rodrigo moura, and art worker, curator and writer yasmin ramirez. Moderated by program officer at the ford foundation, rocio aranda-alvarado. Over 150 people participated in the performance and panel discussion in El Museo's teatro. We hosted the the virtual launch of an unprecedented new digital artwork created by the cuban-born artist reynier leyva novo entitled methuselah on september 22. The work was commissioned through the generous support of via art fund, the artwork virtually reproduces the 5,000 km migratory journey of a single monarch butterfly, tracking its travel from southern canada across the united states to mexico during its eight-month annual reproductive cycle. Embodied through the life of a virtual avatar, the epic journey is hosted and reproduced in real time on a specially designed, open-access, dedicated website, and accompanies an augmented-reality presentation hosted at El Museo in conjunction with the exhibition, juan francisco elso: por amrica, opening at El Museo on october 27, 2022.to celebrate the launch of the project, artist reynier leyva novo joined guest curator olga viso in an online conversation and project demonstration moderated by El Museo organizing curator susanna v. temkin. The event was held in partnership with a community of nearly 20 international cultural organizations, whose transnational locations echo the monarch's pathway across the americas. Total viewership: 61, and 322 views on youtubeoctober 2022-december 2022 adult and family programming:we celebrated our annual day of the dead celebration on saturday, october 29. This year, we presented a series of live performances, art-making workshops, two special altars, held off-site in partnership with la marqueta, union settlement, uptown grand central and east harlem tutorial. El Museo took over la placita and presented a full day of programming including performances by atl tlachinolli, mazarte mexican dance company, escuela de mariachi angeles de ny, doraliz, and danza de los diablos. Workshops were held by our Museo educators carlos dominguez, julia justos, julia tobar and guest educator eliezer berrios from taller boricua. The workshops included learning how to create a festive crown or garland of cempazchil (marigold) flowers using colorful tissue paper and memorializing an ancestor or loved one by creating a 'sugar skull' using card stock and colorful decorative materials. The event included over 916 people in attendance.sbado familiar: parranda! Featuring bombayo.on december 10, we kicked off the three kings day celebrations with an in-person sbado familiar program featuring bombayo. Held both onsite at the museum and in the community, the beloved music group led participants in the puerto rican caroling tradition of parrandas. Beginning in El Museo's cafe, bombayo shared information on the origins of parrandas, and the plena rhythms that guide its storytelling tradition. Over 97 participants, including families and adults, were given lyrics to sing along with the group. Following the cafe performance, all were welcomed to join us to take the celebration onto the street and into the community! Stops in the east harlem community included a local church, a community park, a barber shop, a nyc public bus, among others, and ended with an extended performance at la fonda restaurant.exhibition related programming: on october 7 we hosted a special symposium, identity reimagined: reframing la coleccin, dedicated to new scholarship that reconsiders the critical histories that have shaped the museum's permanent collection. The conversation was intended to contextualize El Museo's unique intersection of art, activism, and latinx culture. This conversation, which was made possible by the terra foundation for american art, marked the launch of El Museo's most ambitious permanent collection study and initiative in over a decade. The event included featured speaker adriana zavala who explore histories of collecting and exhibiting latinx artas a category and concept that falls betwixt and between hegemonic frameworksin museums and other art institutions across the united states. A discussion was included about nuyorican histories and puerto rican vanguards with abigail lapin dardashti, assistant professor of art history and visual studies, university of California, irvine, serda yalkin, ph.d. Candidate in the department of art, art history, and visual studies, duke university, melissa m. ramos borges, professor, art history and theory, university of puerto rico (mayagez and ro piedras) and the event ended with pepn osorio as the keynote speaker. Total viewership: 65virtual artist talk with amalia mesa-bainson december 8, in collaboration with the curatorial department, the public programs department presented an artist talk with artist, critic, and scholar amalia mesa-bains. Mesa-bains has a central role as the author of the term la domesticana, from which the exhibition, domesticanx, takes its inspiration. In dialogue with curator susanna v. temkin, mesa-bains addressed the feminist origins of domesticana in relation to her career and artistic trajectory, as well as its evolving resonance and legacy today. 47 people attended the virtual program. January 2022-march 2023adult and family programming:three kings day parade and community celebrationon january 6, 2023, El Museo hosted the 46th annual three kings day parade and community celebration on the streets of east harlem for the first time in two years. The excitement of th

Museum operations/theatrea. Museum operations: El Museo is open thursday through sunday from 11 am to 5 pm. In addition to exciting exhibitions, educational and public programs and cultural celebrations, it offers visitor amentities such coat check and museum shop. Guest are encouraged to reserve a time ticket in advance and walk-ins are allowed as space permits. B. theatre - the historic and beautiful teatro is the only theater of its kind in the upper east side of manhattan. Consisting of a proscenium arch stage with an orchestra pit and seating for 572 guests, it has been acknowledged as a landmark quality interior venue for its remarkable series of 30-foot murals and stained-glass roundels. El teatro is ideal for award shows, lectures, concerts, operas, media events, film/photo shoots, graduations, conferences and more. Theater works usa presented "El otro oz" play from july 6, 2022 to july 8, 2022 that brought in 790 people. Riverside symphony featured a concert on february 5, 2023 that brought in 233 people. Mama foundation presented "mama, i want to sing" from february 24, 2023 to march 12, 2023 with 19 shows that brought in 7,040 people. Blue hill troupe, ltd, presented gilbert & sullivan's "the pirates of penzance, or the slave of duty" from april 26, 2023 to april 30, 2023 with 6 shows that brought in 2490 people. Opera lafayette presented an opera ballet from may 9, 2023 to may 11, 2023 that brought in 844 people. Manhattan educational opportunity center (meoc) had their graduation on june 15, 2023 that brought in 368 people. St hope leadership academy had their graduation on june 23, 2023 that brought in 500 people. East harlem tutorial program had their graduation on june 27, 2023 that brought in 368 people.

The marketing and communications department is central to the museum's ability to promote its exhibitions and programs to our vibrant and diverse community of neighbors, artists, visitors, and supporters. With a strategic focus on media relations, advertising, web, and social media communications, as well as print marketing and brand development, the department orchestrates comprehensive outreach initiatives. In fy23, the department led the charge in showcasing El Museo Del Barrio's free educational initiatives and public programs, along with some impactful exhibitions: something beautiful: reframing la coleccin; juan francisco elso: por amrica; reynier leyva novo: methuselah; domesticanx. The department managed all media inquiries and represented the museum in interviews and information requests. Additionally, the department maintained an active and engaging presence across El Museo's website, e-mail, and social media channels, ensuring that our community stayed connected and informed.

Off-site partnershipsduring the spring of fy 23, El Museo partnered with ps 89q to facilitate afterschool casa programming, and with ps 83m, ps 72m, ps 4m, the bilingual bicultural school (bbms), vanguard high school, and hunter high school to facilitate in-school partnerships. In june, the program series, led by El Museo's teaching artists, culminated with end-of-school year celebrations that highlighted students' artworks and accomplishments. Casa (cultural after school adventures) supports extensive, bilingual, and culturally relevant school residency partnerships (12-14 sessions, 2 hours each), enriching the afterschool needs of our partnering schools. Casa partnerships are designed to support and enhance the school's entire learning community, including parents and teachers by using funds for a tailored curriculum and materials, teaching artist fees, visits to El Museo, and the installation of art created by students of the program. This program also provides students with the opportunity to deeply explore multiple projects and acquire unconventional/alternative art making and critical thinking skills. El Museo's school partnership curriculum is unique in that it is designed around conversations with the teachers and staff of each school, considering their communities and the community around the school, exposing the students to the richness of latinx, caribbean and latin-american art and culture and as a result, the cultural diversity of new york city. El Museo's off-site partnership programs served approximately 260 students and teachers in fy 23. On-site education programsguided visits offer individuals of all ages multiple entry points to explore El Museo's mission and history, permanent collection, exhibitions, and cultural celebrations, while fostering individual and collective sharing and understanding through inquiry and dialogue. Participants have the opportunity to consider the experiences of communities from puerto rico, latin america, the caribbean and the united states through in-depth explorations of works of art in El Museo's exhibitions and permanent collection. A guided visit program typically includes a 60-minute guided tour of El Museo's exhibitions led by a museum educator with an option of expanding the program to include a hands-on art-making workshop for a 90 minute program. Storytelling programs are also a part of El Museo's guided visits offering. Created for kindergarten 3rd grade learners, storytelling workshops provide a creative and bilingual 90- minute experience, introducing younger learners to the ideas of narrative, culture and art. With a choice of reading "waiting for the biblioburro or "tito puente: mambo king", each storytelling workshop is accompanied with an art making activity directly related to the story. Cultural celebration workshops are an integral part of El Museo's group visits program and include festivities like day of the dead, three kings day and extend to include our around the block walking tour program. These three programs are offered during various times throughout the year and introduce visitors of all ages to the diverse traditions celebrated in east harlem, throughout the us, latin america and the caribbean. These special workshops are 90 minute tours and are also led by members of our museum and artist educator team. El Museo offers adult tours and workshops: our tours and workshops are tailored to our diverse audience including private groups, community organizations, college students, older adults, and adult language learners. Programs are offered in spanish, english or as bilingual tours. In addition, during fy 23, the education dept began to offer free public tours for visitors on saturdays and sundays. During the 2023 fiscal year the following virtual and in-person guided visits were offered: storytelling waiting for the biblioburro/tito puente: mambo king, honoring our loved ones: cultural celebration workshop: dia de muertos (october-november), three kings: multicultural connections, around the block walking tour, and programs related to the exhibitions: raphael montaez ortiz - a contextual perspective, taller boricua: a political print shop in ny, domesticanx, juan francisco elso: por amrica and something beautiful. A total of 7,173 students, teachers and adults were served during fy 23 through on-site guided programs. In addition, as part of the guided visit program, group training sessions and individualized training sessions were offered throughout the year to the team of museum educators, in conjunction with exhibitions, cultural celebrations and other guided visit programs. Access programs offer unique museum experiences to older adults and individuals with alzheimer's and dementia. During the 2023 fiscal year the following programs were offered: su-casa is a community arts engagement program that places artists and organizations in residence at senior centers across the five boroughs of new york city. The program, funded in fy23 by the new york city council, provides grants to artists and organizations for the creation and delivery of arts programming for seniors. Teaching artists engage participating seniors in an art project or series of cultural programs over the course of the residency, which also includes a public program component an exhibit, reading, performance, open house or other cultural interaction open to the surrounding community. The program supports residencies for individual artists and cultural organizations at senior centers across the city's 51 council districts. This initiative seeks to connect artists with seniors in senior centers and to positively impact the well-being of older adults through arts-based activities. Su-casa supports artists and organizations sensitive to the needs of older adults and interested in engaging their communities. During fy 23, teaching artist and educator julia justo provided in-person art workshops for seniors at carver senior center in east harlem, manhattan (19 in attendance) and raices astoria social senior center in astoria, queens (17 in attendance) for over the course of three months from april to june. They experimented with various art forms including acrylic paint, stitching, collaging, and more.teen programs provide opportunities for youth of the five boroughs to engage with the museum's mission through various projects. In fy23 El Museo Del Barrio joined the metropolitan museum of art for a teens take the met event on friday, may 12. Education department staff along withteaching artist eliezer berrios and two hunter college (care for the future) interns facilitated a "something beautiful: artmaking station to promote El Museo's new exhibition and programs to teens at this museum-wide event at the met, attended by more than 5,000 teens.family programscoqui club, developed in 2016, provides families with children (2-5 years old), a space to learn, play, explore, and grow in a bilingual art museum setting. In fy23 the program began to transition from a virtual program to an in-person program offered twice a month with different themes facilitated by El Museo's museum educators. The department relaunched coqui with an in-person program on saturday, december 10, 2023, celebrating the winter holidays. Our educators prepared a lesson and art activity using the book a piata in a pine tree by pat mora. Educators and participants discussed holiday traditions practiced in spanish-speaking countries. On february 4, 2023, we hosted two in-person sessions centering on black history month and read life doesn't frighten me by maya angelou with artwork by jean michel basquiat. Educators and participants were able to draw connections to the story as well as the art displayed in the juan francisco elso exhibition. Coqui club returned to fully onsite programming on the first saturday and third wednesday of the month during march, april and may. In march, we celebrated women's history month by reading my name is celia: the life of celia by monica brown and engaged with an artwork by belkis ayon drawing connections between two strong afrolatina creative forces. We celebrated the welcoming of spring and planted seeds during our april sessions. During the month of may we honored aapi month as well as mother's and caregivers, where we introduced the new something beautiful exhibition and the art of myrna baez. We hosted a drag queen story hour for our pride session on june 10, and a second pride session on june 21., additional resource materials are shared following each program so that families can lead art making experiences at home. Over 300 children and adults participated in these programs in fy 23.