The Hispanic Studies Department recently took students to view works by Cuban American artist Emilio Sánchez at Munson Williams Proctor Arts Institute (MWPAI) in Utica.
Mary Murray, curator of modern and contemporary art at MWPAI, did a behind-the-scenes tour for Hispanic Studies students in February. The visit focused on the impressive collection of Cuban-American artist Emilio Sánchez's paintings and lithographic prints found among the museums holdings--usually not exhibited in the museum's galleries for public viewing. It was sponsored by the Dean of Faculty and organized by Visiting Assistant Professor of Hispanic Studies Jessica Gordon-Burroughs and Associate Professor and Chair of Hispanic Studies Jessica Burke
A significant example of the Cuban diaspora and mid-Century Latino aesthetics, Sánchez served as a creative inspiration for many of the students. Sacharja Cunningham '19 wrote, "despite the simplicity of the works of art, there is still a depth that captures the essence of the urban life in the majority of the works we saw." Olivia Melodia '18 remarked that "Mary Murray, the curator of the museum, has so much knowledge about Emilio Sánchez and the museum in general that it confirmed my lifelong dream of becoming an art curator."
