August 20, 1999
The first major exhibition devoted
to Spanish folk culture and its impact on the art of Latin America
opens at the San Diego Museum of Art on Aug. 28, 1999. El Alma
del Pueblo: Spanish Folk Art and its Transformation in the Americas
features more than 250 objects from 30 museums and private collections
in Spain and the Americas. The exhibition was organized by Dr.
Marion Oettinger, Jr., senior curator and curator of Latin American
art at the San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio, Texas.
"I am delighted to have the opportunity to present an exhibition organized by Dr. Oettinger, the leading American scholar in this field,:" said D. Scott Atkinson, SDMA curator of American art. "El Alma del Pueblo is a comprehensive survey of the complex relationship between folk art as it developed on the Iberian Peninsula and its multifarious manifestation in Latin America. As works that touched the daily lives of countless people, the objects in this exhibition became vital forms of spiritual, ceremonial and utilitarian expression on both sides of the Atlantic."
"This exhibition will illuminate the complex cultural face of Spain, which was shaped by the peoples of Europe, North Africa, the Americas and the Mediterranean over several thousand years," said Dr. Oettinger. "In addition, it will illustrate the Spanish roots of Latin American folk expression and how folk art can be used to better see and understand the people of Spain and Latin America and their traditions."
El Alma del Pueblo explores the vital role that folk art has played in Spanish society since the 16th century - from politics, architecture, music and dance to regional cuisine - and reveals the ways in which these traditions have helped define the character and identity of the major regions of Spain. The exhibition also traces the enduring Spanish roots of Latin American folk culture through devotional pieces from northern New Mexico; religious carvings from Puerto Rico; glazed pottery from Guatemala, Ecuador and Peru; giant processional figures from Mexico; and many other forms of traditional folk expression.
"San Diego, on a border with Mexico, is an appropriate venue for this exhibition,: said Dr. Caron Smith, SDMA acting director. "The influence of Spain of Latin American folk art can be seen easily in our won community, and this comprehensive look at cultural history will provide insight into the border culture of the Tijuana/San Diego area."
El Alma del Pueblo encompasses a wide range of folk art created for utilitarian, ceremonial, recreational and decorative purposes, including pottery; maritime folk art; votive offerings; household saints; religious sculpture; portrait paintings; popular graphics; furniture; and decorated household implements. The exhibition concentrates on works from the 19th and 20th centuries, and demonstrates the continuing vitality of Spanish vernacular traditions in Spain and Americas.
To enhance understanding of the context in which folk art is used, the objects in the exhibition are complemented by contextual photographs. All of the exhibition's materials (didactic panels, brochures and family guides) are written in both Spanish and English.
"As a global company with interests in Spain, Latin America and the U.S., all of us at Ford are proud to continue our support of outstanding programs that illuminate the creativity, common heritage and shared values of people around the world," said William Clay Ford, Jr., Chairman of Ford Motor Company, which is sponsoring this exhibition.
A fully-illustrated catalogue, including 100 color plates and maps, has been published in both English and Spanish by Abbeville Press to accompany the exhibition. Edited by Dr. Oettinger, the publication features essays by ten leading folk art specialists from Spain and the United States and an annotated bibliography.
El Alma del Pueblo is presented under the grand patronage of Excemo Antonio Oyarzabal, Ambassador of Spain to the United States, with the generous assistance of the Ministry of culture of Spain and the Tourist Office of Spain. Iberia airlines is the official carrier of the exhibition.
The museum, located at 1450 El Prado in Balboa Park, is open Tuesday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, call (619) 232-7931, or visit the museum's Web site at www.sdmart.com.
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