Alien! Exploring Identity with Latino Memphis

Can you see it? Alien: Exploring identity, is on view in the Brooks' Education Gallery through September 21

With the help of local painter Yancy Villa Calvo and her husband Mauricio Calvo, the Brooks presents an exhibition of Latino student artwork, and Spanish versions of the Marisol audio guide and exhibition text.

In conjunction with the exhibition Marisol: Sculptures and Works on Paper, the Education Department of the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art partnered with Latino Memphis to host a six-week workshop for students enrolled in their College Access program. The resulting exhibition, Alien: Exploring Identity will be on view in the Education Gallery through September 21. Yancy Villa Calvo volunteered her time to work with this group to explore Marisol and create their own works of art in response to our exhibition. Pictured above, is the group's key piece: a collaboration based on Marisol's Family Portrait. Borrowing Marisol's style and exploring her themes of identity provided the students with an opportunity to meditate on their own. 

The Spanish audio tour and Spanish translation of the exhibition text also would not have been possible without the help of Villa Calvo. From the Chief Curator Marina Pacini,

"Yancy Villa Calvo did an amazing job translating for Marisol: Sculptures and Works on Paper. Yancy translated the introductory wall text and all the objects labels into Spanish so visitors can read about the exhibition in English and Spanish. She then translated the audio tour into written Spanish so that she, her husband Mauricio Calvo, and I could produce a Spanish audio tour. I don’t think Yancy had any idea how much time the project would take when she agreed to do it. With good grace, humor, and hard work she got the huge project done in record time. I know our visitors will appreciate the opportunity to experience the exhibition in Spanish and they can all thank Yancy."

The Spanish audio guide is available at the Visitor Services desk, or you can download the Brooks Museum app and select the Spanish version upon opening the application.  Our permanent collection tour is also available in Spanish.  

Yancy knocks out the details with students from Latino Memphis

Visitors can make a record of their own identity in the Education Gallery as well. An interactive panel is installed across from the Latino Memphis piece for all to add hand outlines and markings in the style of Marisol.

Interactive panel in Alien: Exploring Identity

detail, Marisol, Lick the Tire of My Bicycle, 1974

Please join us in congratulating Yancy Villa Calvo, nominated Volunteer of the Quarter for all her hard work. Villa Calvo is a painter whose artwork can be found at yancyart.com.

Marisol: Sculptures and Works on Paper is on view through September 7. More information at brooksmuseum.org/marisol

Alien: Exploring Identity is on view in the Brooks' Education Gallery through September 21.

#meetMarisol