Powerful exhibition shines light on Latino immigrants of South Carolina
May 28, 2018
Ecos: Resonancias de Historias Latinas de Carolina del Sur now on view
Diana Farfán, Iris, the Coyote Tamer, 2018, acrylics and mixed media on wood panel.
The Columbia Museum of Art is proud to announce Ecos: Resonancias de Historias Latinas de Carolina del Sur (Echoes: Resonances of South Carolina Latino Stories) a collaborative multimedia art exhibition featuring the stories of Latino immigrants in the low country interpreted by 19 select Latino South Carolina visual artists, on view in the Community Gallery through Sunday, July 22, 2018. Visitors to the exhibition have the opportunity to listen to each audio story and read its transcription as they view the artwork it inspired.
From 2012 to 2014, The Citadel Oral History Program conducted interviews documenting the experiences of South Carolina’s Latino immigrants living in the low country for a program called Las Voces (The Voices). Ecos expands on Las Voces and its assertions of the basic humanity of Latino immigrants to shine light on the power and range of the stories of the people in these often marginalized communities.
The exhibition is organized in three sections: Ecos from the Other Side of the River, Ecos from the Border, and Ecos in a New Land. Each evokes the immigrant narrators’ movements across time and space while affirming their humanity and challenging easy triumphal narratives.
Ecos underscores the variable meanings a listener may derive from stories. Oral historians often refer to the concept of shared authority to describe the ways in which oral histories are co-created through the narrator’s encounter with the interviewer. Their exchange of questions, memories, and reflections shapes the oral history—neither can claim sole authorship. Ecos extends that authority to visual artists, who bring to the stories their unique visions, sensibilities, and styles, providing fresh ways to appreciate the stories and to suggest new connections and meanings.
Ecos is an invitation to appreciate the work of Latino artists and to value the lives of Latino immigrants. It is an assertion that their stories belong to the history of South Carolina and that they too belong.
Gallery texts offered in both Spanish and English. Audio recordings offered in Spanish with Spanish and English transcriptions.
The initiative has been made possible through the support of the Gaylord and Dorothy Donnelley Foundation and was coordinated in partnership with The Citadel Oral History Program and Palmetto Luna Arts.
For more information, visit columbiamuseum.org.
About the CMA
The Columbia Museum of Art is a charitable nonprofit organization dedicated to lifelong learning and community enrichment for all. Located in the heart of downtown Columbia, S.C., the CMA ranks among the leading art institutions in the country and is distinguished by its innovative exhibitions and creative educational programs. At the heart of the CMA and its programs is its collection, which encompasses 7,000 works and spans 5,000 years of art history. Established in 1950, the CMA now welcomes more than 150,000 visitors annually and is a catalyst for community creativity and education, engaging people of all ages and backgrounds. It is the recipient of a National Medal from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a National Art Education Association award for its contributions to arts education, a National Park Foundation Award, and two Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Governor’s Awards for the Arts for outstanding contributions to the arts in South Carolina. In order to serve even more audiences, the CMA is undergoing a transformation funded by a successful capital campaign. Though some sections of the building will be affected during some phases of the work, the CMA remains open throughout renovations. The project is expected to be complete in late 2018. To learn more, visit www.columbiamuseum.org.
