Frost Art Museum FIU to Celebrate the Art of Mexican Photography

By: Jun. 29, 2017
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The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum FIU celebrates the art of Mexican photography this summer with two exhibitions: Becoming Mexico: The Photographs of Manuel Carrilloand Possible Worlds: Photography and Fiction in Mexican Contemporary Art. The opening reception is free, open to the public on Saturday, July 8, 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. (directions to Florida International University).


With Becoming Mexico, the museum traces the deep roots of the genre with the striking photo-journalistic work that captured the country's national identity featuring more than thirty of Manuel Carrillo's gelatin silver prints. Carrillo's photographs serve as a celebration of the human spirit. These photographs are part of the museum's permanent collection. This exhibition was curated by Klaudio Rodriguez, the museum's Curator.


In Possible Worlds, works of imagination and fantasy by Mexican contemporary artists serve as a counterpoint featuring more than 40 artworks by nine contemporary Mexican photographers including Mauricio Alejo, Ricardo Alzati, Katya Braylovsky, Alex Dorfsman, Daniela Edburg, Ruben Gutierrez, Kenia Narez, Fernando Montiel andDamian Siqueiros.


"We are delighted to present these two exhibitions that pinpoint very different periods in Mexico's history of photography," said the Director of the Frost Art Museum FIU, Dr. Jordana Pomeroy. "It is fascinating to see how photography can not only document but actually define and shape the identity of a country. Through his camera, Manuel Carrillo captured the rapidly changing character of his country, from a rural to an industrialized nation. Fast forward, more than half century later, and we see how contemporary artists in Mexico are using the medium from an entirely different perspective by illustrating worlds of possibilities."

More about the Artists
Manuel Carrillo (1906-1989) began his quest in 1955 to capture indigenous Mexico with his camera, portraying his country and its people as it truly was without any colonial or outside influences. Carrillo firmly believed in Mexicanidad, a cultural movement during the 1920s led by influential writers, photographers and artists following Mexico's Revolution.


Carillo's street photography documented the everyday life, local rituals and practices of campesinos (peasants and farmers), indios (first nation peoples), and mestizo men, women and children in Mexico. For the artist and his subjects, Carrillo's photographs forged a national identity. He photographed during an era when peasants wore traditional dress, men wore huarache sandals and women wore their rebozo shawl. His subjects are proud, strong and optimistic but his photographs also reflect the despair of impoverished rural communities.


In contrast, Possible Worlds: Photography and Fiction in Mexican Contemporary Artpresents the work of today's artists in Mexico and the influence that film, literature, fantasy and electronic music all have on their contemporary work.


A clear break from 20th century Mexican photojournalism, this is a new generation of artists immersed in imagination rather than documentation of the natural world. The works of these nine artists are records of their dreams, nightmares, myths and fables - fictional worlds often rooted in a desire to escape to a better world.


This exhibition has been organized in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mexican Agency for International Cooperation for Development, Mexican Cultural Institute in Miami and curated by art historian Marisol Argüelles. At the Frost Art Museum, it was coordinated by Klaudio Rodriguez (Curator), and Dr. Jordana Pomeroy (Museum Director).

About the Museum

One of the largest free-standing art museums in Florida, the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University was founded in 1977 and is the Smithsonian Affiliate in Miami.

The museum's new lakeside building debuted in 2008, designed by Yann Weymouth (the chief of design on the I.M. Pei Grand Louvre Project).

With 46,000 square feet of energy efficient exhibition, storage, and programming space, the museum was honored with LEED silver certification. The museum's mission is three-fold: to be a campus resource for the entire FIU community; to offer interdisciplinary training in the arts for the next generation of artists and art historians; and to serve as a premier cultural destination for the residents of Miami, and the 15 million visitors to one of the world's most vibrant cultural destinations - home to global cultural events including Art Basel.

The Frost offers programming that complements its exhibitions with a wide range of educational initiatives. The Steven and Dorothea Green Critics' Lecture Series has featured internationally renowned speakers including: Laurie Anderson, Christo, Susan Sontag, Frank Stella, Helen Frankenthaler, John Cage and Marina Abramovi?. The Kenan-Flagler Family Discovery Gallery serves as an innovative programming space that encourages children's involvement in art through hands-on exploration.

Admission to the museum is always free. The Frost Art Museum FIU is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums, and is located on the campus of Florida International University at 10975 SW 17 Street. Open Tuesday-Saturday 10:00 a.m.- 5:00 p.m., and Sunday noon-5:00 p.m. Closed on Mondays and most legal holidays. The Sculpture Park is open every day. For more information, please visit frost.fiu.edu or call 305-348-2890.



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