Masters display collections

Long Beach Museum of Art

 

By Amy O'Bryant
On-line Forty-Niner

Walking through the galleries at the Long Beach Museum of Art is like entering a party, where new stories and new friends await your acquaintance.

The intimacy felt is heightened when you get to the museum's feature exhibit, "Suenos y Encuentras: Works from the Collection by Latin American Masters."

The title translates to "Dreams and Encounters," so named by the museum director Hal Nelson to reflect two important aspects of Latin-American art: a dream-like surreal quality, and that of realistic encounters and historical moments, said Sue Ann Robinson, director of collections and educational resources.

The Mexican muralist movement celebrated Mexican history and culture, Robinson said, and though the museum does not have examples of those murals, the smaller pieces represent the work of many of these important artists.

"All About Time," a sculpture made with found materials by Cecilia Miguez of Uruguay is both whimsical and thought provoking. Luscious is how Robinson described two painted works by Mexican artist Carlos Estrada-Vega, a Claremont University graduate whose multi-colored works might remind you of those bright, striped furnishings and accessories made popular by Target stores.

The synopsis that accompany the more than 25 paintings, drawings and sculptures peak into the lives of the artists, and many aspects of the Latin-American experiences.

Particularly interesting are the connections between many of the artists.

Other exhibits at the museum include "Into the Woods," an exploration of the carvings of rich exotic woods in decorative forms that can be displayed in a variety of ways to evoke different experiences of the art.

"Clay Bodies," another exhibit can be taken quite literally, as most of the pieces from the private collection are Staffordshire ceramic figures. Though ceramics from 19th and 18th century England may not be everyone's cup of tea, some of the forms are quite amusing and depict a lifestyle of drinking and revelry which the museum's synopsis called important to the social culture of the times.
 

EVENTS LISTING

What: "Suenos y Encuentros: "Into the Woods," "Clay Bodies"
When: Opening reception 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday
Where: Long Beach Museum of Art 2300 E. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach, Ca
Information: (562) 439-2119