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In This Issue
Photo San Francisco 2005
Secret Garden Art Exhibition
MásCaras: Masks of Mexico
Museum Information
Sponsors
From La Tienda
Visit The Mexican Museum Online
Museum Information
The Mexican Museum
Fort Mason Center, Building D
Marina Blvd. & Buchanan St.
San Francisco, CA 94123
Phone: (415) 202-9700
Gallery and store hours: Wednesday-Saturday, 11am-5pm
Admission: FREE throughout 2005
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Photo San Francisco 2005
July 21-24
Fort Mason Center
Festival Pavilion
San Francisco
The Mexican Museum is excited to participate in the 6th International San Francisco Photographic Art Exposition, presenting the work of ten contemporary Latino photographers. We are especially pleased to engage the artist community in this event, believing that the Museum must continue to be a first voice institution – of and by the culture.
Please visit us at BOOTH #86 and view work by: Elena Anaya, Luis Delgado, Katia Fuentes, Germán Herrera, Ethel Jimenez, Javier Manrique, Rebecca Martinez, Almudena Ortiz, Unai San Martin, and Xavier Tavera.
Event Schedule:
Thursday, July 21: 6-9pm opening night reception
Friday, July 22: 11am-7pm public hours
Saturday, July 23: 11am-7pm public hours
Sunday, July 24: 11am-6pm public hours
Information: www.photosanfrancisco.net
Secret Garden Art Exhibition
Thursday, July 28
5:30-7:00 PM
The Secret Garden, 2710 A Harrison St. at 23rd St.
San Francisco
FREE
The Mexican Museum presents a special reception and art exhibition by youth in our Street SmArt summer program. This community event is the culmination of the Secret Garden Arts and Science Program, a six-week multidisciplinary class taught in a community garden in the Mission District.
The outdoor exhibition will feature student artwork including drawings, paintings, masks and nature studies inspired by the art of Diego Rivera. Newly planted garden beds will represent teachings on organic gardening, native plants and growing cycles. Over 25 youth, ranging in age from 5-17, are participating in this program. Please join us and enjoy the many fruits of our students' labor!
The Secret Garden Arts and Science Program is a partnership of The Mexican Museum, Mission Housing Development Corporation and PODER (People Organizing to Demand Environmental and Economic Rights). Street SmArt is supported in part by the San Francisco Department of Children, Youth and their Families, Milagro Foundation and Citigroup Foundation.
MásCaras: Masks of Mexico
On view through August 27
The current exhibition of masks from the Museum's extensive collection features Pre-conquest antecedents in stone and rare pieces from the 1940s and 50s, including examples of contemporary masks from Mexico’s African legacy.
During the colonial period between 1521-1821, approximately 200,000–500,000 African slaves were brought to New Spain (Mexico). In fact, at the turn of the 17th century, Mexico was the main importer of slaves in the Americas. Initially, Africans were utilized in Mexico City as personal servants and in Guanajuato and Zacatecas as miners. Later, a substantial number of them were sent to the sugar plantations in the eastern coastal state of Veracruz and the ranches in the Pacific coast states of Oaxaca and Guerrero. Mexico abolished slavery in 1821 when it gained its independence from Spain.
The present day Danza de los Negritos, with its highly ornate masks and elaborate dance steps, survives as a tribute to the role of Africans in the central state of Michoacán. Usually performed on December 25, January 1 and 6, this dance represents the merging of the ancient beliefs of the indigenous Purépecha under Spanish rule with the Africans’ role in colonial society.
“Blackmen” are known in the Purépecha language as turía or turía acha (“Black Lord”), which reflects the Pre-conquest connection of the color black with power and ancestors. Ancient Purépecha rulers and elders would actually blacken their bodies and dress in elaborate garments to impersonate their ancestor-gods.
With the importation of the African slaves to work as well as supervise and control indigenous workers, the “Blackman” became associated with power and wealth and evolved into the contemporary image of an idealized village leader. The Danza de los Negritos is one of the most significant of the Purépechan year and continues to be an important part of its cultural lore.
New Board Appointment
The Mexican Museum is pleased to welcome Scott Salazar Myers, CEO and President of Del Valle Homes, as the newest member of our Board of Trustees. Mr. Myers has over 20 years of experience in real estate development, finance and marketing, specializing in building affordably priced communities. He is a Director of the Building Industry Association of Central California and the recipient of the 2002 Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's President's Award and the Central California Latino PAC's Person of the Year Award.
Mr. Myers also has received two “Amigo of the Year" awards in Stanislaus County and San Joaquin County in recognition of his continued contributions and support to the Spanish speaking community throughout California's Central Valley. We are honored that Mr. Myers has joined our familia to invigorate the Capital Campaign and contribute his talents to other Museum efforts.
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