Chosen Memories: Contemporary Latin American Art from the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Gift and Beyond

(Hardback)

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Some of the most relevant art of the present is conceived through investigating and retelling history in new ways, by artists who engage with the past as a means to repair histories of violence and reconnect with undervalued cultural legacies. Meshes of Time presents artworks that find their poetic and political vitality by mobilizing histories of Latin America. Published in conjunction with an exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art, New York, the publication presents artworks by contemporary Latin American artists who, over the last four decades, have looked to history as the source material for new work. Videos, photographs, paintings, and sculptures, many of which were donated to the Museum by the Coleccin Patricia Phelps de Cisneros in 2018, are presented in dialogue with one another.

Organized into three thematic sections, the catalogue examines how artists have investigated and reimagined histories and cultural legacies of the region, including long histories of colonialism in the region, undervalued cultural and visual heritages, and inherited and chosen kinships, as well as processes around mourning and memorialization. The richly illustrated catalogue features over 40 artists from different generations working across Latin America over the last four decades, including Alejandro Cesarco (Uruguay), Regina Jos Galindo (Guatemala), Mario Garca Torres (Mexico), Leandro Katz (Argentina), Suwon Lee (Venezuela), Gilda Mantilla (Peru) and Raimond Chaves (Colombia), Cildo Meireles (Brazil), Rosngela Renn (Brazil), Mauro Restiffe (Brazil), and Jos Alejandro Restrepo (Colombia), among others.

Reviews

One of the most stirring museum collection shows I've seen in New York in a while...a kind of uneasy, ironic, reality-check melancholy.--Holland Cotter "The New York Times: Arts"
Reminds us how important it is to actively engage with history, not only as a passive observer but as an agent of transformation, working towards a future that reflects our collective values and aspirations.--Clara Maria Apostolatos "Brooklyn Rail"

Author Bio

Ins Katzenstein is Curator of Latin American Art and Director of the Patricia Phelps de Cisneros Research Institute for the Study of Art from Latin America, The Museum of Modern Art, New York.