Wifredo Lam, Untitled / Sin título, 1978. Images courtesy of the Museum of Latin American Art.
The Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) is celebrating 20 years as the only museum in the US dedicated to modern and contemporary Latin American art. Alongside a weekend of festivities, including a free family festival, the museum will open MOLAA at Twenty: 1996–2016, the largest showing of MOLAA’s Permanent Collection ever presented on Saturday at 7:00PM, MOLAA announced.
“I am pleased to be at the helm of this venerable institution during this milestone year as we celebrate our 20th Anniversary, our recent accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums and the growing relevance of our mission to the community,” stated Stuart Ashman, MOLAA’s president and CEO.
Curated by Edward Hayes, MOLAA at Twenty: 1996–2016, follows the evolution of the museum’s collection, starting with works from Founder Dr. Robert Gumbiner’s personal collection and incorporating acquisitions made over the past 20 years. The exhibition draws from over 1,600 artworks from more than 20 different countries and will remain in the galleries through the end of the year, with a rotation planned in July, according to the announcement.
Alejandro Otero, Delta solar, 1979.
Select artists on view in MOLAA at Twenty through July include Alexandre Arrechea, Leonora Carrington, Carlos Cruz-Diez, Dr. Atl, Roberto Fabelo, León Ferrari, Carlos Garaicoa, Ramiro Gómez Jr., Osvaldo Guayasamin, José Gurvich, Judithe Hernández, Wifredo Lam, Rodolfo Morales, Alejandro Otero, Esterio Segura, Jesús Rafael Soto, Rufino Tamayo, Francisco Toledo, Joaquín Torres-Garcia and Patssi Valdez.
Through humanitarian visits to Mexico, Central and South America, Gumbiner (1923–2009), was introduced to modern and contemporary Latin American art. His budding interest was cultivated with trips to Mexico as a Flying Samaritan, where he collected art by notable Oaxacan artists. The Founding Collection reflects Gumbiner’s inclination toward figurative pieces that reference the culture in which they were produced, as well as paintings that incorporate a Cubist rendition of the figure.
Roberto Sebastián Matta, Rôle Renversé / Reverted Role, 1987.
As he added works to his own collection, Gumbiner realized that although many of these Latin American artists were relatively unknown in the US, thus becoming the impetus for him to open MOLAA, a museum where he could share his collection with the public and educate audiences about modern and contemporary Latin American art.
MOLAA at Twenty: 1996–2016’s opening reception will take place on Saturday, February 27 from 7:00PM to 9:00PM. The 20th Anniversary Free Family Festival will take place on Sunday, February 28 from 11:00AM to 5:00PM.
For more information about admission prices and the festival schedule, click here. For more general information, visit the museum’s website here.
MOLAA is located at 628 Alamitos Avenue.
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