Los Angeles

Celebrate MOLAA at Twenty

The Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach looks back at two decades of fine and thought-provoking artworks.

Lovers of interesting and innovative art can often praise the 1980s as a major decade for creative growth around Los Angeles.

It is a correct assessment. Our region burbled with interesting galleries, performance art, and installations during the decade. But the 1990s also deserves some cred in this arena, having served as a time for several major museum debuts, including the Hammer and The Getty Center and the masterful Museum of Latin American Art, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. 

Marking two decades of numerous exhibits and talks and mondo events takes a mondo outlook, and MOLAA has it: The institution is celebrating its big birthday by displaying "its largest comprehensive Permanent Collection exhibition to date." The name of the show? "MOLAA at Twenty."

Look for contemporary Latin American art as that highlights "collection highlights, emergent collections of new media, and art of the Latino diaspora that includes U.S. Latino and Chicano art."

While the exhibition will run through Jan. 1, 2017, there are special events to enjoy along the way, including a film on Friday, March 4 that will look back at the museum's beginnings. The documentary highlights the work of the museum's founder, Mr. Robert Gumbiner, and a chat will round out the gathering (curator Edward Hayes will lead).

What has been your favorite show at MOLAA? Neomexicanism? The Surreal-stunning paintings of Raul Angúiano? The anatomical/whimsical works of Roberto Fabelo? Or pretty much every piece you've encountered at one of the greatest places, here or anywhere, to engage and perhaps be transformed by modern Latin American art?

It's been a big 20 years for the big museum, with big things to come. Swing by in the weeks/months to come to take a look back and forward.

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