COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (August 25, 2022) — The Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College (FAC) is pleased to present “Breathe into the Past: Crosscurrents in the Caribbean” on view Sept. 9, 2022–Jan. 29, 2023.
“Breathe into the Past: Crosscurrents in the Caribbean” features the work of twelve artists with connections to the Caribbean—including the Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, Puerto Rico, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and coastal Colombia. Artists included in the exhibition include Firelei Báez, Albert Chong, Andrea Chung, Maksaens Denis, Hulda Guzmán, Renluka Maharaj, Suchitra Mattai, Carlos Martiel, Javier Orfón, Wanda Raimundi-Ortiz, María Isabel Rueda, and Nyugen Smith.
“The artists in this exhibition make an important contribution to our understanding of the Caribbean, its past and its future. Each of the works is a powerful example of how knowledge can be produced through material histories, intergenerational mentorship, and the channeling of ancestral influence,” said Michael Christiano, Director of Visual Arts & Museum Director.
These artists offer insight into some of the complex histories that have shaped the present in sometimes subtle yet undeniable ways by acknowledging human and non-human entanglements, situating contemporary politics in spaces of coloniality and imperialism, and creating work that celebrates long histories of resistance and perseverance. They work with a broad range of materials—including for example, vintage saris, codfish skin, bougainvillea thorns, and sugar—that are integrated into sculptural forms, books, photography, and film. Each of these materials speaks to histories of migration, diaspora, colonization, and resistance, thereby offering a poetic response to marginalized histories.
“The artwork contained in the exhibition encourages us to engage in a multi-sensorial experience, the concurrent multidisciplinary programming augments this experience through film screenings, dance workshops, poetry recitals, and concerts meant to contribute to a full-body experience of Caribbean Crosscurrents,” said Dr. Naomi Wood, NEH Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities; Chair and Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Colorado College.
“Breathe into the Past: Crosscurrents in the Caribbean” is organized by Dr. Naomi Wood, NEH Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities; Chair and Associate Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Colorado College and Katja Rivera, Curator of Contemporary Art at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College with Savanah Pennell, Curatorial Paraprofessional at the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College. The exhibition is generously supported by The Anschutz Foundation, Colorado Creative Industries, and the Margaret Lane Endowment for Contemporary Art.
RELATED EVENTS
Performance with Yesenia Selier and Miguelo Valdés
Sept. 9, 5:30 p.m. in the FAC courtyard, experience an Afro-Cuban dance performance by Yesenia Selier accompanied by the Cuban Bata drummer Miguelo Valdés.
Film Screening of “Miriam Miente”/ “Miriam Lies”
Oct. 13, 6:30 p.m. at the Kathryn Mohrman Theater Q&A with director Natalia Cabral to follow. This 2018 film centers on racial politics in the Dominican Republic as experienced by Miriam a teenager preparing for her quinceañera and navigating racial and class politics.
Community Impact Bachata Dance Workshops
Oct. 14–16 series of three Bachata Dance workshops led by Jahaira and Angelica of In Lak’ech Dance Academy and open social dance with performance on Oct. 16 at Kinship Landing. Co-sponsored by Latisha Hardy Dance, open to all levels, no prior dance experience necessary.
Film Screening of “Extra Terrestres” “Extraterrestrials”
Nov. 3, 6:30 p.m. in Cornerstone 131 a Puerto Rican film telling the story of Teresa and Daniela as they navigate sharing or lying about their lesbian relationship in the face of inherited homophobia and classism.
In Conversation: Alexis Pauline Gumbs
Dec. 5 [Time to be confirmed]. Join this virtual event for a talk and workshop by Queer Black Troublemaker, Feminist Love Evangelist, and aspirational cousin to all sentient beings, Alexis Pauline Gumbs.
Thanks to a generous grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities, all events are free and open to the public. Registration will be required. Please check the FAC website for updates.
VISIT THE FAC MUSEUM
Museum free days are offered the second Saturday and third Friday of each month.
The Ladyfingers at the FAC shop is open during regular museum hours with handmade, locally sourced, and inclusive goods paired with a selection of items designed to expand and enrich your FAC experience.
PLEASE NOTE: Exposure to COVID-19 is possible in public places. For the latest information on any COVID guidelines and requirements, visit the FAC website.
ABOUT THE FINE ARTS CENTER MUSEUM
The FAC Museum’s permanent collection of approx. 20,000 objects showcases the rich history and vibrant contemporary cultures of the Southwest and the Americas, containing works of art from Native America, Hispanic and Spanish Colonial New Mexico, and 20th and 21st-century America.
Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College
The story of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center at Colorado College (FAC) began with the founding of the Broadmoor Art Academy 1919. A museum, performing arts theatre, and community art school, the FAC is a pillar in the cultural community of the Rocky Mountain West providing innovative, educational, and multi-disciplinary arts experiences designed to elevate the individual spirit and inspire community vitality. The FAC and Colorado College recognize and honor the original inhabitants of the land on which it resides. For more information about the FAC, visit fac.coloradocollege.edu or follow on Facebook @CSFineArtsCenter.
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