VISUAL ARTS
The visual arts have always been an important focus for the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York. Mexico’s vibrant history in the visual arts continues through exhibitions and programs.

Sensational! Mexican Street Graphics / May 28 – August 15, 2004

    

AIGA Gallery, the professional design association, presented the Sensational! Mexican Street Graphics exhibit to highlight this popular form of graphic art of Mexico. Over four years more than 30 artists photographed the art that decorates storefronts, windows, vehicles, posters and magazines all over Mexico. Mostly created by small businesses to attract customers, the ubiquitous form of art has a style and form all its own. The exhibit helped raise awareness of this unique form of art and the gallery then presented the Sensacional de Diseño catalogue on August 23.

 The Mexican Cultural Institute through the Mexican Consulate supported this very important exhibit for the Guggenheim Museum Fall Series Program. The exhibit featured more than 435 artifacts from centuries of Aztec artwork including masks and statues from everyday life to artifacts from the most sacred rituals. This event was the first major exhibition of Aztec art in the U.S. in 20 years and many objects from public and private collections had never before been seen outside Mexico.

International Studio and Curatorial Program (ISCP) / 2004

                    
 Fig.1           Fig.2                      Fig.3    

This partnership between Mexico’s National Fund for Culture and Art (FONCA) and the Mexican Cultural Institute of New York provides emerging Mexican artists with the opportunity to meet with international artists and curators and develop a visual art project during a four month residence in New York City. In 2004 Mexican artists Andres Basurto, Luis Blackaller, and Laureana Toledo participated in the program at the ISCP. For more information on the program visit FONCA’s website at http://www.conaculta.gob.mx/cnca/fonca/

CULINARY ARTS
The Mexican Cultural Institute went beyond the traditional cultural promotion and organized the following events because cuisine is such an important part of Mexican life. Culture exists not only in museums and concert halls, but in the kitchen as well.

Antojeria Mexicana / February 20, 2004

 
The cookbook, Antojeria Mexicana by Patricia Quintana was presented at Barnes and Noble in Chelsea. Quintana is one of Mexico’s most recognized chefs and her book highlighted many Mexican appetizers that everyone can enjoy.

Chili Pepper Fiesta / October 2-3, 2004

 
This two-day festival included free music, dance lessons, cooking classes, chili pepper food sculptures and much more, all surrounded by the beautiful Brooklyn Botanic Gardens. The Mexican Cultural Institute coordinated the participation of two Mexican chefs who gave classes on how to make mole and salsas and after there was a tasting to top off the event.

Mexican Restaurant Tour / October 16 – November 1, 2004


The Mexican Cultural Institute spearheaded a culinary tour of New York City with a Mexican flavor by collaborating with 27 local Mexican restaurants to create a feast for the taste buds. Participating restaurants served three-course lunches for $20 and three-course dinners for $30 in addition to guacamole and tequila tasting. More than 50 culinary events took place daily and the rich tapestry of Mexican cuisine was on display for all to enjoy. Dia de los Muertos, the traditional Mexican celebration in honor of loved ones who have passed on, is a popular Mexican holiday that was highlighted during the festival. The Mexican Cultural Institute promoted celebration of the holiday during the Mexican Restaurant Tour by having restaurants serve traditional Day of the Dead cuisine all week and help promote a greater understanding of this important Mexican holiday.

FILM
The Mexican Cultural Institute is committed to help provide new opportunities to the film industry as well as up-and-coming artists from the Mexican community.

Farmingville / July, 2004

 
The screening of this powerful documentary at the Bildner Center of the Graduate Center CUNY has significant meaning for the Mexican community. In September 2000, the hate-based attempted murder of two Mexican day laborers in the small suburban community of Farmingville, Long Island received national attention. Carlos Sandoval and Catherine Tambini document one year on the heated battleground of this community torn apart by a vicious crime that shows both sides of the immigration debate all over the country.

Nicotina and Un Día sin Mexicanos / August 18, September 9, 2004

       
Nicotina is a dark comedy from the producers of Amores Perros and was shown at the Sunshine Film Theater with the support of the Mexican Cultural Institute. It is about a computer geek, Diego Luna of Y Tu Mamá También who crosses paths with Russian gangsters and myriad other characters in this wild caper about diamonds and computer hacking. Another Mexican film premiered at the E Walk Movie Theaters in Times Square with the support of the Mexican Cultural Institute; A Day Without a Mexican, a satiric movie about what would happen to California if one day every Latino in the state disappeared. Director Sergio Arau, producer Eckehardt Von Damm and other members of the cast were in attendance. After the screening a cocktail party was held to celebrate the opening.

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The First Contemporary Mexican Film Week / November 1 – 6, 2004


The Mexican Cultural Institute helped coordinate the promotion of a week of the dynamic and innovative world of Mexican cinema. The event showcased seven of the best contemporary Mexican films in a tour hitting several cities throughout the U.S., Canada, Europe and Latin America, as well as New York. The films featured were Amores Perros, Santitos, Sexo, Pudor y Lágrimas, Sin Dejar Huella and Y Tu Mamá También. Also featured were two award-winning documentaries. The festival was scheduled to be a part of the Mexico Now* celebrations in New York.

MUSIC
Music is an integral part of any culture and the Mexican Cultural Institute will continue to offer opportunities for a wide array of artists to share the many varieties of traditional and modern music that Mexico has to offer.

Control Machete & Natalia Lafourcade / July 9, 2004

 
Control Machete, famous for their hits Mucho Barato, Comprendes Mendes, as well as Si Señor and Artilleria Pesada from the Amores Perros soundtrack, featured songs from their latest album Uno, Dos: Bandera as part of the Celebrate Brooklyn festival at Prospect Park. The alt-rap group created a unique mix of their hip-hop and Mexican roots to give an exciting performance alternating with singer/songwriter Natalia Lafourcade, who made her New York debut to open the evening. The Mexican Cultural Institute collaborated with the festival in order to realize this concert.

Na’rimbo / August 24, 2004

 
An innovative group that fuses regional music from Chiapas with jazz and Afro-Cuban rhythms, this group has delighted audiences all over Mexico and Europe. The Lincoln Center presented the performance of Na’rimbo at the Lincoln Center Out-of-Doors Festival in collaboration with the Mexican Cultural Institute. The name of the group is taken from the word for the wood used to make the bars of the marimba that is a main feature of their music.

Concerts at the Americas Society / November 10, 17 & 30, 2004


As part of Mexico Now* the Mexican Cultural Institute collaborated with the Americas Society to present the concert of Mexican flutist Alejandro Escuer. The Mexican Cultural Institute then featured Mexican guitarist and composer Hector Guillermo Ramos on November 27.

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Debut Concert of the Mexican American Symphony Orchestra /
November 30, 2004


As part of Mexico Now* the Mexican Cultural Institute partnered with Arts International in the debut concert of the Mexican American Symphony Orchestra (MASO) led by promising young conductor Alondra de la Parra at the Town Hall Theater. The program included works by Revueltas, a soccer-inspired symphonic poem by Lavista, Íngesu by Enrico Chapela and the world premiere of La Promesa del Guerrero by Ernesto Villalobos. To learn more about MASO please visit www.masorchestra.org

LITERATURE
The Mexican Cultural Institute supports authors and artists who wish to bring their work to a wider audience. Literature is the written record of culture and we strive to promote authors through premieres and programs that highlight Mexico’s unique literary styles.

Remembering Luis Ignacio Helguera / November 19, 2004

 
Another event in the Mexico Now* celebrations was this tribute to one of the greatest Mexican poets of his generation, who died in 2003. Helguera worked in a wide variety of literary genres, including poetry, short stories, essays, criticism and aphorism. He was the author of works such as Traspatios (1989), Minotauro (1993), and Murciélago al Mediodía (1997). Helguera’s subjects ranged from contemporary music to chess as well as every day issues. This special introduction of Luis Ignacio Helguera’s work to the New York public included a first-time presentation of some of Helguera’s translated poems, as well as comments and poetry from three other poets and colleagues from Mexico City.

El Espacio en el Espacio / November 23, 2004

 
The monographic catalogue on the spatial structures of Sebastian Romo was presented at Gigantic Art Space though the exhibit The Book as Object and Performance which showcased Sebastian’s work You Are Here. Three essays reflected on the artists’ site-specific mobile sculptures, the originality of their site-specificity and at the same time prove the great unsuspected relation between his work and the public.

Comtemporary Mexico / October 6, 2004
The Mexican Cultural Institute helped promote the Literature Fall 2004 Program: Comtemporary Mexico at the Americas Society, which highlighted Mexican literature. The book Elenisima was presented with author Michael K. Schuessler and the subject of his work, Elena Poniatowski.

SPECIAL EVENTS
Culture and art comes in many forms that can not be easily placed in any category. The Mexican Cultural Institute supports events and artists that successfully fulfill our mission of promoting Mexican culture and art in the New York area.



Designer Jewelry Sale / May 4, 2004

Mexican Designer Daniel Espinosa had a jewelry sale at the residence of the consul general of Mexico and a percentage of the proceeds were donated to the Mexican Cultural Institute. The event highlighted the boom of fashion and design that is coming out of Mexico today. Espinosa is famous for his unique work that uses silver to create striking and innovative designs.

Summer Networking Event / June 16, July 24, 2004
The event was organized by the Mexican Cultural Institute in collaboration with the Trade Commission of Mexico, Mexico’s Tourism Board and the U.S. – Mexico Chamber of Commerce. With the goal to serve as a gathering where young Mexican students and professionals will be able to get to know some of the representatives of companies that are interested in doing business in Mexico or already have operations there.

Mexico’s Independence Day / September 15, 2004

 
The Town Hall Theater helped celebrate the 194th anniversary of Mexico’s independence. The group Raíces de México and the children’s group performed as well as Mariachi Pedregal, accompanied by Sergio Saenz. Around the city Mexican flags were raised at various hotels and The Empire State Building was illuminated with the colors of the Mexican Flag.

*Mexico Now Festival / October 23 – December 8, 2004

 
More than 150 events at 36 venues around the city highlighted architecture, dance, film, literature, music, theater and the visual arts of Mexico. The 33-day event, organized with Arts International, was a huge success with a wide array of events for a truly city-wide celebration of Mexican culture, some of which are highlighted in previous sections.

Fig.1 - Portrait of a Mexican Immigrant, Andres Basurto
Fig.2 - Positive Print on Polyester, Luis Blackaller
Fig.3 - Patrones Migratorios, Laureana Toledo

Photo Credits:
Control Machete – Roberto Falck
Alejandro Escuer - www.alejandroescuer.com
Farmingville - www.pbs.org/pov/pov2004/farmingville
Luis Ignacio Helguera - www.mexiconowfestival.org/en/calendar
Daniel Espinosa - www.danielespinosa.com