“Radiante” is an oil painting done by Olga Albizu in 1967.The nearly 70 pieces that make up the new “Our America: The Latino Presence in American Art” are as diverse as the artists that created them.
The pieces are part of a traveling exhibit from the collection of the Smithsonian Institute of American Art Museum and will be on display at the Hunter Museum of American Art from Feb. 17 through June 4. Museum members can get a special preview on Thursday, Feb. 16, at 6 p.m.
The exhibits features paintings, prints, photographs, mixed media and sculpted pieces from artists of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban and Dominican descent. It was organized by E. Carmen Ramos, curator of Latino art at the Smithsonian. The pieces were created in the last half-century or so, and there are abstracts, landscapes, portraiture and scenes of every day life.
“I love the colors and the variety of the pieces,” says Cara McGowan, director of marketing and communications for the Hunter.
Some of the works reflect what was going on in a particular point in history and some, like “Breakfast Tacos,” highlight a particular moment in a particular place. “Tacos” is a large print of Chuck Ramirez’ original piece from his “Seven Days” series. It’s an image of a dining table after a large meal.