Museum of Art exhibit features Latin American artwork

By Lisa Angelucci
Collegian Editor
November 8, 2006

The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s special exhibits usually feature a collection of works from an important artist. Such as last year’s collection of paintings by the renowned Salvador Dali, or this past summer’s collection of work by local artist Andrew Wyeth. The museum’s newest exhibit, Tesoros/Treasures/Tesouros: The Arts in Latin America, 1492-1800, is not on display because of the fame of the artists. This exhibit is unique in that it takes the viewer on a cultural journey through the history of Latin America.

Tesoros is the first exhibit to ignore the boundaries of the various Latin American countries that were created during the early 19th century. Instead, the collection contains pieces from all of the former Spanish viceroyalties of New Spain and Peru and the Portuguese colony of Brazil. Today, this area includes Mexico, Central America and 10 South American countries.

The collection includes 250 works of art, many of which were collected by museum curators and international officials from monasteries and other private owners. The pieces span all mediums, including everything from painting to furniture.

The exhibit is divided into categories – there are portraits, sculptures, furniture and paintings – in order to give the viewer some perspective on the culture and allow them to visualize the place where the art was created.

Latin American art is in many ways different than anything typically found in European, American or even Asian art. Much of the iconography is typical Roman Catholic imagery, but the indigenous peoples from the Americas were skilled with materials that were unknown to most, such as feathers, tortoise shell, mother-of-pearl and ivory.

Tesoros is careful to display the unique qualities present in Latin American art. There is a piece made entirely from feathers, although if there wasn’t a sign to explain the medium, the viewer could never tell. Paintings are inlaid with mother-of-pearl.

The subject matter is often religious, but sometimes shocking or controversial. Shocking is the figure of a baby Jesus hung on the cross – it was explained that the figure represents his absolute divinity, because he knew from birth that he would die on the cross. Controversial is a series of 14 casta paintings from an original series of , each of which shows a mother and father of various Indian, African and European backgrounds with the type of child they would produce.

Most of the art came from outside of the United States, and was often tricky to bring into the country. Large pieces had to be disassembled for shipment to the United States, and carefully put back together when they arrived at the museum.

While the material on display is certainly culturally specific, that does not mean the exhibit has no appeal for those who are not Catholic or of a Hispanic background. Perhaps the exhibit should have even more appeal to those who know absolutely nothing about the history and culture of Latin America because the art on display can be eye-opening.

Following its stay in Philadelphia, the exhibit will move to a museum in Mexico City for the remainder of the winter and the spring and continue to Los Angeles for the summer.

Tesoros/Treasures/Tesouros will be on exhibit in Philadelphia until Dec. 31. Ticket prices are $17 for students and $20 for adults. This cost comes in addition to regular admission, and is pricey for those on a college student’s budget. However, $15 exhibit tickets are available for the 3 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. showings on weekdays through Nov. 17. It’s a splurge no matter what, but it’s worth it.

angeluccil1@lasalle.edu