MOLAA in March

Was in Long Beach and decided to hit the Museum of Latin American Art. Great idea! The collection was mostly contemporary, with figurative and abstract art from all of Latin America. Having no idea what was exhibiting this month, I was happy to view works from Mexican artist David Alfaro Siqueiros which included pages from his sketchbook. These were of particular interest to me as I use my sketchbook almost daily and gain insight when I see how other artists use their books. Siqueiros' drawings, as expected, showed a thorough understanding of anatomy and a bold hand.

Being me, I lingered the longest at the figurative work. The above piece throws back to old Mexican woodcuts and in the tradition of the most famous of Latin American artists, makes a commentary on war. I didn't note the artist, but the work is recent.



The fork and knife set may have been six feet tall.

 

The sculpture garden was in a large courtyard edged with succulents; midday sun giving everything a hard shadow. I enjoyed many of the pieces, but the big bronze "War Giro" by Cuban artist Carlos Luna had me wanting to get my pen and ink out. I snapped a photo and may draw it yet.

My favorite piece of the day was a small bronze by Fernando Botero. It was about 18" tall, with a beautiful sheen. The subject matter was very appealing - the words "sexy thick" come to mind, ha! I found an angle I liked and sketched it in pencil until my arm was tired. Entitled "La Pareja" or "The Couple". Click on the image to see it larger.

 

 

Before leaving MOLAA, I grabbed a bowl of pozole in the bright little Vive Café. Mmm, home-style goodness.

If you're in Long Beach, get yourself to the MOLAA and add a bit of Latin flavor to your art education.