Auction 07 Catalog (PDF) - Museum of Latin American Art

MOLAA’SHISTORY& MISSIONIn just over a decade, the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) has grown into one of the most comprehensiveand representative institutions of contemporary Latin American fine art and culture in the UnitedStates. To the community, MOLAA is more than just a museum; it is an enriching educational resource anda magnetic cultural center.MOLAA’s mission is to educate the public about contemporary Latin American fine art through the presentationof a significant permanent collection, dynamic exhibitions and related cultural and educational programs.MOLAA’s programs are designed to give a cultural context to the art on display, offering an enhancedunderstanding of the diverse peoples and regions of Latin America.The Permanent Collection is the foundation from which all of MOLAA’s educational and cultural programmingis derived. Having grown from 150 works at its inception to more than 850 works today, MOLAA’scollection includes paintings, drawings, photographs and sculptures by artists who have lived or worked inLatin America since World War II. In addition to presenting works by Latin American masters, MOLAA introducesthe public to contemporary artists of today who are well known in their native countries but who havehad little or no exposure in the United States.To emphasize its commitment to the community, MOLAA’s galleries are never dark. The art displayed in thepermanent collection galleries is rotated periodically offering visitors the opportunity to view more of the collection.MOLAA also presents significant temporary and traveling exhibitions to further enhance visitors’experience with contemporary Latin American art. In 2001, MOLAA was named a Smithsonian Affiliate. Thisprestigious partnership allows MOLAA to borrow important works from the Smithsonian’s vast national collection.MOLAA’s newly expanded building designed by internationally renowned architect Manuel Rosen, serves asa landmark in Long Beach’s East Village Arts District. Monumental arches represent bridges to and from theAmericas and the unity of the Western Hemisphere. The recently completed expansion project has doubledthe museum’s capacity to 55,000 square feet, enabling MOLAA to broaden the range and scope of its exhibitionsand public programs and to serve three times more visitors each year.Through important exhibitions and related educational and cultural programs, MOLAA communicates thereality of Latin America today with the diverse cultural, social, political and economic influences that haveshaped its artists. MOLAA builds bridges between diverse peoples and inspires cross-cultural understanding,appreciation and tolerance.