The Purple Line

Spreading Latinx Culture and Narratives in Museum Halls

Episode Summary

How does Latinx culture shape and influence America? E. Carmen Ramos and Mireya Loza, with Smithsonian Museums, share about the role they play, as curators, to ensure Latinx narratives are told accurately.

Episode Notes

E. Carmen Ramos is the Acting Chief Curator and Curator of Latinx Art for the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Ramos's most recent exhibition is ¡Printing the Revolution! The Rise and Impact of Chicano Graphics, 1965 to Now, scheduled to open in November 2020. From satire and portraiture to politicized pop, this exhibition examines how artists created visually captivating graphics that catalyzed audiences into social justice action. Vibrant posters and prints announced labor strikes and cultural events, highlighted the plight of political prisoners, educated viewers in Third World liberation movements, and, most significantly, challenged the invisibility of Mexican Americans in U.S. society

Mireya Loza curated significant Latino content for the exhibit Girlhood (Ser chica es complicado). The exhibit, now open, commemorates the anniversary of women’s suffrage by exploring the concept of what it means to grow up female in the United States. And we see that girls, even though they may not have a vote, use their voices to effect change.

To learn more about the exhibits, visit: https://americanart.si.edu/exhibitions/chicano-graphics https://americanhistory.si.edu/girlhood

*The two museums are open but require visitors to reserve free timed entry passes before