Latinx Archives in Context

Today, Latinx archives are in a rapid process of transformation. Important questions arise from the field’s inherent multiple identities, its relation to Latin American art, and the growing interest in archival collections. On this panel, specialists will discuss how they approach the complexities of archiving Latinx art and history.

ABOUT OUR GUEST SPEAKERS
Mari Carmen Ramírez is the Wortham Curator of Latin American Art and founding Director of the International Center for the Arts of the Americas (ICAA) at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. A globally renowned authority on modern and contemporary Latin American art, Ramírez has published extensively and curated numerous exhibitions, including the award-winning Inverted Utopias: Avant-Garde Art in Latin America (2004, with Héctor Olea); Beatriz González: A Retrospective (with Tobias Ostrander, 2019); Hélio Oiticica: The Body of Color (2006); Contingent Beauty: Contemporary Art from Latin America (2015); HOME, So Different, So Appealing (with Chon Noriega and Pilar Tompkins, 2017); Joaquín Torres-García: Constructing Abstraction with Wood (Menil Foundation, 2009). In addition to her work with Latin American art and artists, Ramírez has published widely on a broad range of topics that include the relationship of this art to identity politics, multiculturalism, globalization, and curatorial practice. She’s also conceptualized and implemented the ICAA Documents of 20th Century Latin American and Latino Art Project, a major digital archive and book series focused on primary sources. In 2005 Ramírez received the Award for Curatorial Excellence granted by the Center for Curatorial Studies at Bard College. That same year, TIME magazine named her one of “The 25 Most Influential Hispanics in America.”

Josh T. Franco is a National Collector at the Archives of American Art. Franco works to identify, investigate, and acquire personal papers, institutional records and other primary sources that tell the stories of American art. In addition to ensuring their preservation at the Smithsonian, Franco advises researchers working in the Archives, making them aware of materials relevant to their pursuits. Previously, Franco served as Latino Collections Specialist at the Archives of American Art (2015 – 2017). He completed his Ph.D. in Art History at Binghamton University in 2016. Before arriving at the Archives, Franco was an Artist-Guide at 101 Spring Street, the preserved New York City home and studio of Donald Judd.

MODERATOR
Agustín Díez Fischer, Centro de Estudios Espigas (EAyP, UNSAM) / Fundación Espigas; PLAS Visiting Research Scholar, Princeton University