Program for Carmen Amaya performance, ca. 1950s. Courtesy of Vivian Alarid Cuadra and Pedro Cuadra. Photo by Blair Clark., ca. 1950s. Courtesy of Vivian Alarid Cuadra and Pedro Cuadra. Photo by Blair ClarkMIFA News:
SANTA FE ― The sensual dance of flamenco has traveled the world, yet within the United States only in New Mexico is it integral to the state’s culture.
In November of 2015 the Museum of International Folk Art opened the most comprehensive exhibition on flamenco, celebrating this living tradition as an art form.
This stunning exhibition is now traveling to museums throughout the New Mexico.
Flamenco premiered Jan. 12 and runs through May 28 at the Silver City Museum. The Branigan Cultural Center in Las Cruces June 21 to Sept. 15 will be the second stop. Next, the Carlsbad Museum and Art Center will host the traveling exhibition Nov. 9 to Jan. 26, 2019. The final two exhibition locations and time slots are being negotiated.
Flamenco: From Spain to New Mexico provides an in-depth examination of the history and culture of flamenco dance and music. This festive and multi-dimensional traveling exhibition explores flamenco’s origins, influences, development and appreciation as a highly respected art form on the world stage.
The exhibition features approximately 80 objects from the 19th century to the present, including costumes, instruments and ephemera, as well as several audio/video stations where audiences can see and listen to flamenco over many generations. The exhibition is accompanied by the companion book, The Spirit of Flamenco: From Spain to New Mexico, by Nicolasa Chávez.
In 2010, UNESCO declared flamenco a “Masterpiece of the Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”
Exhibition curator Nicolasa Chávez said, “Flamenco is often considered an outward expression of one’s innermost emotions, whether happy or sad, and carries with it an air of freedom or abandon.”
Chávez noted that other exhibitions have only featured flamenco through photography and imagery while this exhibition explores flamenco as a multifaceted art form, a highly cherished performance art remaining true to its cultural roots and heritage. The exhibition is also the first ever to show the history and development of flamenco and its treasured role in the culture of New Mexico.
The statewide tour of Flamenco: From Spain to New Mexico has been organized and presented by the Museum of International Folk Art with generous funding from Heritage Hotels and Resorts and New Mexico Multi-Cultural Foundation enabling museums throughout New Mexico to bring this groundbreaking exhibition to their communities.
