Deputy Director of Curatorial Affairs Lisa Dorin joins artist, activist, and scholar Amalia Mesa-Bains in a conversation about "The Library of Sor Juana Inez de la Cruz." This site-specific installation—which Mesa-Bains created for WCMA in 1994—re-imagines the library room of the 17th century Mexican poet, composer, and philosopher. As the museum prepares to restage part of the installation for the upcoming exhibition Sweaty Concepts, this conversation revisits the artwork's past and present, exploring questions of contemporary curatorial practice, site-specificity, and collections.
July 9-December 31, 1994. Artworks: Amalia Mesa-Bains, Venus Envy, Chapter II. This exhibition featured an installation by Mesa-Bains, the well-known Chicana artist, writer, and educator. In its first incarnation, the show investigated the constricting feminine roles of virgin and bride in the Catholic church.
Watch the program video:
This event will take place virtually over Zoom. Registration is required for this free event.