As a resident of the LBC, I sometimes don't take advantage of everything the city has to offer. The Museum of Latin American Art, a.k.a. MoLAA, is a place I usually pass by on the way to school without ever considering going. However, a few weeks ago I decided to see what the museum had on display. Although the museum lacks support and patronage, I had a pleasant experience viewing an eclectic display of pan-Meso and South American artwork.
In my opinion, this diverse and wide array of art is the Museum's best asset. The first exhibit has 10-15 featured works all hailing from different Latin countries. Being exposed to different cultural perceptions and influences apparent in the work was most revelatory and satisfying during my visit. I particularly enjoyed the South American pieces by artists such as Columbia-Native Fernando Botero and Chilean Roberto Sebastian Matta. If I had to chose, I would say the piece I most enjoyed was Miguel Antonio Bonilla's El Nudo (The Knot) where a police official and government official are tied together by a candy-cane colored rope, tied to a knot in the center. Not only is the work aesthetically pleasing, however, it sheds light on the political and legal corruption of El Salvador in a comical way.
Lastly, the museum hosted a major exhibit of the work of Brazilian artist Walter Goldfarb entitled D+LIRIUM. The exhibit was composed of three sub-exhibits. The Black and White Series explores inanimate objects through monochromatic color, which offers a stark juxtaposition to the Lysergic Garden exhibit, an explosion of highly saturated combinations of color to replicate and recreate an induced, psychedelic experience of ecstacy. The work offered a lot to the viewer in terms of a diverse range of sensational experiences. I think Goldfarb's exploration of two bi-polar extremes ini visual painting create not only sensory appeal and appreciation, however, numerous perspectives and insights into the artist's life and worldview as well as the viewer's. I recommend taking a visit to Long Beach to see this work if you have the time and means to.
Official MoLAA website
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