Latinx Heritage Night at the MFA
| Venue: | Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) |
| Hours: | 5:00pm - 10:00pm |
| Ages: | Teens, Adults |
| In/Outdoor: | Indoor |
| Cost: | $ see below |
| Category: | Arts & Culture |
On September 21, the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), celebrates Latinx heritage and culture with Latinx Heritage Night. In partnership with Amplify Latinx and Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción, the MFA invites visitors to catch live music, dance performances, talks in the galleries and to see works of art from North, Central and South America.
All events and activities (full schedule below) are included with a $5 minimum pay-what-you-wish general admission from 5–10 pm.
Latinx Night Events and Activities
On View: Diego Rivera’s Desnudo con alcatraces (Nude with Calla Lilies)
On loan from a private collection for one year, this masterpiece by Diego Rivera is one of the artists' best-known easel paintings and appears on Mexico’s 500 peso bill. The large-scale work unites Rivera’s many inspirations—the exuberant flora of Mexico, the strength and elegance of everyday people and the beauty in humble woven materials. Visitors can see the iconic painting in the Latin American gallery, located on the third floor of the MFA's Art of the Americas Wing.
Watercolor Landscapes
5–9 pm Create your own landscape painting inspired by works from José Campeche and Francisco Oller—the most influential Puerto Rican artists of the 18th and 19th centuries. Five paintings by Campeche and Oller are on loan from the Museo de Arte de Ponce (MAP). These works open conversations about histories of the Puerto Rican landscape and artistic exchanges across Europe and the Americas—offering a new point of connection for Boston's vibrant Puerto Rican community.
Resource Fair
5–9 pm Meet representatives from the Museum and community partners to learn about the resources and programs they offer. Partners include Amplify Latinx, Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción, Hyde Square Task Force, Agora, the Boston Latin Quarter, The Teachers’ Loung, Big Sister Boston and Love Your Magic Inc.
Spotlight Talk: Chino Latino Caribbean Landscapes
6 pm (English-language tour) and 6:45 pm (Spanish-language tour)
What is it about Francisco Oller’s landscapes that leave a lasting impression as technically sophisticated and authentic visions of the Puerto Rico’s natural milieu from around the late 19th century? Learn more about Oller and his landscape paintings with Miguel Trelles, Puerto Rican visual artist, co-executive director of Teatro LATEA and cofounder, coproducer and head visual arts curator of the Borimix Puerto Rico Fest; and Vanessa Calderón-Rosado, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer, IBA-Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción
Welcome Remarks
6:15 pm Hear from Matthew Teitelbaum, Ann and Graham Gund Director; and Eneida Román, board chair and cofounder of Amplify Latinx.
Manola Mairena
6:30–7:15 pm Salsa singer and conguero Manolo Mairena is known for the unmatched energy and passion he brings to his captivating performances. Catch Mairena and his orchestra in a special performance of the new show, Bohemian Night, which showcases the traditions and culture that have defined Mairena’s exceptional career.
The City Talks: Latinx Artistry and Representation
7–8 pm How do we continue to support and develop Latinx artists and creatives to increase representation at cultural institutions—and in the arts and culture sector on the whole? Join Boston-area artists, activists and more for a discussion inspired by the MFA’s celebration of Latinx heritage and culture. With Silvia López Chavez, artist; Jay Calderin, fashion author, educator and founder and executive director of Boston Fashion Week; Sabrina Avilés, independent filmmaker and founder and executive director of CineFest Latino Boston; Rafael A. Shabazz, poet and photographer; Moderated by Carmen Plazas, Mass Cultural Council's Communications and Community Engagement Manager.
Stay tuned after the panel for a spoken-word performance by Rafael Shabazz.
SambaViva
7:20–7:45 pm Experience the color, movement and energy of SambaViva’s bold choreographies and contagious rhythms. SambaViva is a Brazilian dance ensemble dedicated to authentically promoting Brazilian culture through dance and music.
Obra en marcha: Building a Latinx Art Collection at the MFA
8–8:30 pm Although the MFA collects and presents art from all over the world, Latinx artists are still underrepresented in our galleries. Join Michelle Millar Fisher, Ronald C. and Anita L. Wornick Curator of Contemporary Decorative Arts and Layla Bermeo, Kristin and Roger Servison Curator of Paintings, Art of the Americas for a conversation about strengthening our collection of Latinx art, starting with our holdings of contemporary craft.
DJ Montro
5–5:30 and 8–9 pm Take the celebration to the next level with DJ Montro, who hails from the Dominican Republic and always keeps the dance floor full with his unique blend of Latinx music across genres. He’s second to none when it comes to providing a Latin party wherever it’s needed.
Hyde Square Task Force
5:45–6 pm Catch an electrifying performance of Bomba, a traditional dance and musical style of Puerto Rico, by youth performers from Hyde Square Task Force.
Additional Latinx Heritage Month events at the Museum include a September 29 screening of Maite Alberdi's profound love story The Eternal Memory (La memoria infinita) presented in partnership with CineFest Latino Boston Film Festival as well as an October 12 performance by Puerto Rican saxophonist and composer Jonathan Suazo as part of Soundbites: The Nancy Lee Clark Concert Series.
| COST | ↑ top |
$5 minimum pay-what-you-wish general admission from 5–10 pm
| WEBSITE | ↑ top |
www.mfa.org/event/special-event/latinx-heritage-night?event=46911
| LOCATION | ↑ top |
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA map
Phone: (617) 267-9300
| RELATED LINKS | ↑ top |
- Profiles
- Localities
Info changes frequently. We cannot warrant it. Verify with Latinx Heritage Night at the MFA before making the trek. If you find an error, please report it...