By Grant Utter
Closing out a yearlong spotlight on Hispanic and Latino artists, the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art has announced its latest exhibition: “Contrapunto: Works by a Contemporary Latin American Artist Collective.”
An eclectic exhibition featuring the varied contemporary styles of six artists, “Contrapunto” is a comprehensive depiction of Latin American culture, folklore and collective history. The exhibition will be on view Feb. 16 through May 19.
The term “contrapunto” or “counterpoint” is a musical term assigned to the combination of two or more melodic lines that work together harmonically, yet retain their individuality. This concept of artistic synergy is the foundation for the artist collective, which was founded in Atlanta in 2012. Together, the Contrapunto artists work to promote a diversity of Latin American art in the American southeast.
Carlos Solis, March of Heroes, 72″ x 60″, Oil on canvas, Courtesy of the artist
That diversity is a prominent feature of the museum’s upcoming exhibit. The Contrapunto artists immigrated to the Unites States from five countries and employ a range of contemporary styles: Carlos Solis of Venezuela constructs vivid, surrealist landscapes; Pedro Fuertes and Jorge Arcos of Mexico paint in colorful abstractions; and Melvin Toledo of Nicaragua, Dora Lopez of Peru Catalina Gomez Beuth of Columbia capture essences through portraiture and still life.
With a range of styles and points-of-view on display, the Contrapunto artists hope this exhibition can be an engaging representation of Latin American culture and an educational tool for patrons.
“What ‘Contrapunto’ offers is an access that for many is the unknown world of the complex multiculturalism of Latin American art and tradition,” says Solis. “In addition, it promotes the uniqueness, and value, of the art of Latinos in the USA.”
This exhibition also marks the beginning of the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art’s Rubin Curatorial Internship, a new opportunity funded by Mrs. Shelley Rubin, co-founder of the Rubin Museum of Art in New York City and wife of Oglethorpe alumnus Donald Rubin ’56. Together, they are also the namesakes of the museum’s Shelley and Donald Rubin Gallery and the Shelley and Donald Rubin Exhibition Series.
The internship was established to create professional development opportunities for Oglethorpe students pursuing careers in museum administration and curation.
Sophia Sobrino ’24 hangs art
As the inaugural intern, studio art major Sophia Sobrino ’24 will work closely with the exhibition and Contrapunto artists to develop programming, lectures and outreach initiatives. Additionally, the internship will be an opportunity for Sobrino to hone her skills in art curation and exhibition development.
“With all internships at OUMA, we hope to instill real-life professional experience that moves beyond theory and into practical applications,” says Curator of Collections John Daniel Tilford. “Such skills enable our students to stand apart in the competitive marketplace for aspiring museum professionals.”
In connection with the exhibition, the museum will host a panel featuring the Contrapunto artists on Thursday, Feb. 29 in the Philip Weltner Library Atrium in Lowry Hall, followed by a reception in the museum. During the panel, the artists will discuss the art on view in the exhibition.