Curators Ellen Hoobler and Patricia Lagarde had families in mind when designing the galleries for The Walters Art Museum’s new permanent collection exhibition, Latin American Art/Arte Latinoamericano, which opens on May 17.
In the brightly painted space, bilingual children’s books are on hand for antsy kids. Benches with arms and backs—ideal for elderly visitors—are strategically placed throughout. Curious guests of any age can listen to an ancient musical instrument being played or sniff the copal incense used in traditional Mesoamerican rituals.
“We really meant for this to be a space for mothers, for children, for people who have mobility challenges,” Hoobler told us on a tour earlier this week. “It’s a space for all generations to enjoy.”
Tomorrow’s opening marks the first time works of art from Latin America will have a permanent home in the museum. “Henry Walters did not purchase as much from this area as he did from other parts,” Hoobler explained. Over the past decade, the Walters has been working to fill the gap in its antiquities collection and to complement that effort by purchasing important works by contemporary Latino artists.
The resulting exhibition represents 40 cultures from North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean, and was informed by a 12-member Latin American Art Community Advisory Group consisting of mostly local first- and second-generation Latino immigrants.
“The title of the installation and the colors you see on the walls were both chosen based on their essential feedback,” Hoobler said. “They also informed our decision to include bilingual texts, as well as photos on the object labels so that everyone from kids to adults can easily enjoy and learn about the works on view.”
“Some people will be excited to see their heritage reflected back at them, while other people will be excited to see some of the objects they may have studied in class, in-person. I really think this is an exhibition for everybody,” Hoobler added.
In that spirit, the opening celebration planned for Saturday, May 17 is a true community party—a free festival with artisan and food purveyors, performances, artist talks, tours, children’s art-making activities, and more. Bring the family and check out a few of these highlights:
Gallery Tours: On the top of each hour between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m., visitors can enjoy a guided tour through the exhibition’s three galleries—spanning 200 objects and 4,000 years of Latin American art—with Hoobler and Lagarde.
Paco the Llama: Not only is Paco adorable, llamas and alpacas were critical in the ancient Americas, Lagarde explained. “They were the only pack animals, so they were the only way people could move across the mountainous landscape.” The curators believe Paco dates to 1000-1407 and was originally used as an effigy vessel—though they’ve now given him a new job as exhibition mascot.
Jessy DeSantis Artist Talk: In their painting Cintli, Corn, Maize (2020), Baltimore-based artist Jessy DeSantis draws connections between the stunning, multi-colored glass gem corn they grew during the pandemic and the lush and colorful feathers of the tropical quetzal bird—whose plumes were highly prized in ancient times and are still incorporated into headdresses and ritual objects today. DeSantis will be offering an artist’s talk in the gallery at 1 p.m.
Chocolate Maker Jinji Fraser: Beloved Baltimorean Jinji Fraser created a video for the exhibition demonstrating the chocolate-making process—which was essential to early American culture—and her own ancestral ties to a Guianan chocolate estate. Jinji Chocolate will be onsite—along with The Empanada Lady, Poyoteca, and several other food vendors—for the opening festival’s food and artisan market, where you can also shop Latin American products by local makers.
Family Art Making with COLOROLL STORIES: Designed by artist Pablo Machioli, this collaborative art project is part of his Coloroll series. Throughout the opening day celebration, visitors of all ages can work together to color in his 12-foot long coloring page, which will be on display at the museum after the event. Machioli will be onsite from 1-4 p.m. to guide the activity.
Entrance to the museum and all events and activities are free, but reservations are requested through the Walters’ website. And for those who can’t make it to Walters but would like to get in on the fun, the museum will be streaming all performances live via YouTube. Staff has provided the Southeast Branch of the Pratt Library in Highlandtown with kits that contain materials and art-making projects related to Latin American Art/Arte Latinoamericano—available while supplies last!