As I walked around this serene exhibit, I paused for a moment of reflection, considering how best to write this article to capture its essence. The exhibit seemed to simultaneously convey the diversity, culture and history of the Americas. I wondered how I could ever convey the grandeur of this exhibit in just a small article.
“Stories Artists Tell: Art of the Americas, the 20th Century” at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston is a compelling exhibit made up of works created across the Americas. It reflects the wide range of stories that define the Americas for what it is today.
Throughout the exhibit, I was fascinated by the different experiences and stories representative of the 20th-century Americas.
One such work was Leonora Carrington’s 1969 “Rabinos.” Carrington was always fascinated with pre-Hispanic culture and came to Mexico as a World War II refugee. This painting depicts a Rabbi seeking knowledge from a monkey. I was struck by the stark colors used to depict the different characters within the scene. Information provided on the placard next to this painting explained how monkeys were positive figures and symbols for the Maya, making this a celebration of historic culture.
This painting struck me as a powerful representation of immigration and assimilation to the different cultures of the Americas. Furthermore, it celebrates the rich historical backgrounds of the Americas. The Americas are a place where immigration and adjusting to the cultures within have always been present, and this painting represents this well.
Frida Kahlo’s 1928 “Dos Mujeres (Salvadora y Herminia)” is, in my eyes, a painting that reflects stories of the Americas and highlights the social impact of art. While it is a simple depiction of two working-class women, it holds a lot of symbolic weight. It celebrates mixed-race working-class women, a group that had long been underrepresented in art.
Furthermore, the social and political power of art is emphasized here. I was reminded of the powerful role art plays in representation and its potential to inspire widespread change. Art can be more than just entertainment. It can be symbols of larger movements and ideas that are widespread and hold great importance to many.
One of my favorite paintings of the exhibit was Maria Auxiliadora da Silva’s 1973 “O Incendio.” The painting depicts people crying and running away from a burning farm. This scene underscores the hardships faced by rural farmers. Silva combined her colorful painting with physical materials like cloth and string to add realism to this sad scene. Viewing this painting, I felt as if I was transported to a nearby hill, making the farmers’ struggles more tangible and filling me with sadness and empathy. I favored this exhibit due to the way it made me naturally imagine myself as if I were in the scene
I also enjoyed Norval Morrisseau’s 1989 “Bear Father, Bear Son.” It celebrates native traditions and beliefs about passing knowledge down through generations, suggesting that all knowledge ultimately comes from nature itself. This painting reflects the interconnectedness of land, people, and nature in native culture. Furthermore, the use of bright colors not usually seen in beings of nature invoked a sense of how maybe there is something incredibly deep in all forms of life that ties us together.
I feel that people often forget the history of their place too easily. Unless it concerns a major event like war, the experiences of common people are rarely remembered. This exhibit was an amazing celebration of the rich culture and history of the Americas, from native views about nature to Central American social rights movements.
