Press RoomPhoenix Art Museum announces limited-time admission deal for ASU students; hosts dynamic programs in 2023 to complement Juan Francisco Elso: Por América
Phoenix Art Museum announces limited-time admission deal for ASU students; hosts dynamic programs in 2023 to complement Juan Francisco Elso: Por América
Apr, 25, 2023
Special Events and Programs
Phoenix Art Museum announces limited-time admission deal for ASU students; hosts dynamic programs in 2023 to complement Juan Francisco Elso: Por América
Free admission program for active ASU students runs May 6 – September 17, 2023; calendar of Elso-inspired events to include Valley-wide programming in English and Spanish
PHOENIX (April 25, 2023) – From May 6 through September 17, 2023, Phoenix Art Museum (PhxArt) will offer free admission to all Arizona State University (ASU) students in celebration of the opening of special-engagement exhibition Juan Francisco Elso: Por Américaand complementary exhibitions Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection; Migration Stories: Arizona Collects Cuban Art; and Reynier Leyva Novo: Methuselah. Together, these four exhibitions explore artistic expression during times of humanitarian crises and social upheaval while examining themes of migration and exile, border politics, and transcontinental identity that will resonate across audiences of varying identities. To enjoy free admission to Phoenix Art Museum from May 6 through September 17, 2023, ASU students must present an active ID at the visitor desk upon check-in.
Throughout the run of these exhibitions, the Museum, along with other Valley cultural organizations, will host dynamic programs to provide deeper historical and social context to featured artworks. The calendar of events includes:
MAY 2023 Preview: Reynier Leyva Novo’s Methuselah in collaboration with MediatedX Research Lab at the ASU Media and Immersive eXperience Center (MIX) May 5 | 7:13 pm (sunset) Free for the general public Arizona State University’s Media and Immersive eXperience Center Experience Reynier Leyva Novo’s digital Monarch butterfly projected on the 70-foot jumbo screen of the ASU MIX Center in Mesa. The piece will launch at sunset during “golden hour” and continue through May 14, 2023. The artist will be present for the unveiling. More information available here.
Art Talk: Dr. Erica Moiah James with Juan Francisco Elso: Por América participating artists Albert Chong, Reynier Leyva Novo, and Tiona Nekkia McClodden May 6 | 1 – 2:30 pm Free for Members | $5 for the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Singer Hall Juan Francisco Elso’s art conjures a blend of European, African, and Indigenous artistic and cultural traditions to offer a unique perspective on the life and culture of Cuba in particular and the Americas in general. Join PhxArt for a dynamic conversation among artists whose creative efforts resonate with Elso’s own practice and affinities. Tickets are available here.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
Butterflies, Connectivity, and Resilience: Artist Reynier Leyva Novo in dialogue with Desert Botanical Garden research and exhibit experts May 7 | 1 – 2:30 pm Desert Botanical Garden, Binn’s Wildflower Pavilion Hear from Reynier Leyva Novo in conversation with Senior Director of Exhibits Laura Spaulding Best; Natalie Melkonoff, Plant and Insect Ecology Program Coordinator; and Elaine McGinn, Chief Experience Officer of the Desert Botanical Garden, as they come together to consider the fascinating life of the Monarch, the diplomacy of butterflies, and the species’ connectivity to humans. Tickets are available here.
Lemon Art Research Library Lecture: Latin American Art Books from the Cathie Lemon Collection May 20 | Noon Free for PhxArt Members | Included with general admission for the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Singer Hall Over more than 40 years, Museum supporter and library advocate Cathie Lemon has gifted 1,500+ publications to the Lemon Art Research Library’s collection of contemporary Latin American art books, sourced from across the Americas. These rare and esoteric works in Spanish, Portuguese, and English reference diverse artists and art-movements. Join Librarian Jesse Lopez for a presentation on some of the highlights of this important collection, with a focus on Cuban art books. Tickets coming soon to phxart.org.
Lemon Art Research Library Book Club: Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent May 20 | 1:30 pm Free for Members and the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Lemon Art Research Library Join Librarian Jesse Lopez for the next installment of the Lemon Art Research Library Book Club, featuring Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the Pillage of a Continent by Eduardo Galeano. Tickets coming soon to phxart.org.
PhxArt Family Funday May 28 | 10 am – 5 pm Free-access event Phoenix Art Museum Families and friends are invited to enjoy free Museum admission all day long, including access to Juan Francisco Elso: Por América and its three complementary exhibitions. Experience Cuban art and culture with activities and experiences for visitors of all ages and abilities, including:
Los Cabezones performances presented by Cultural Coalition, live music from Arroz con Mango, and mini mambo dance lessons with Ballet Folklórico Queztallí
Hands-on discoveries with butterfly specialists from the Desert Botanical Garden
Sculpture demonstrations by Phoenix-based, Cuban-American artist/researcher Gabriel Vinas
Sketching in the galleries with the ASU Art Museum and Phoenix-based artist Aileen Martinez
Collagraph printing with Phoenix-based artist Estrella Esquilín
Food from Cubanitas Kitchen’s Food Truck and Cuban-cooking demonstrations with Patricia Espinosa
Caribbean rhythms with DJ Big Rube
A preview of Phoenix Public Library’s Summer Reading Program
PhxArt Family Fundays are made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Men’s Arts Council.
Art Talk: Creating Juan Francisco Elso: Por América, with Olga Viso and Paul Rogers May 31 | 6 – 7:30 pm Free for Members | $5 for the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Singer Hall Olga Viso, curator of Juan Francisco Elso: Por América and PhxArt curator-at-large and senior advisor on curatorial affairs, and Paul A. Rogers, the Gerry Grout Director of Education and Engagement, discuss the challenges of creating an exhibition for multiple audiences across borders amidst a challenging U.S.-Cuba political climate. Tickets are available here.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
JUNE 2023 Creative Saturday June 10 | 11 am – 2 pm Free for Members | Included with general admission for the general public Phoenix Art Museum Kick off your summer with art-making activities, performances, and hands-on experiences for the entire family! Discover the mixed reality-artwork Methuselah by Reynier Leyva Novo and investigate a Monarch butterfly’s life cycle, migration journey, and wing patterns with biologist and Phoenix College professor Jon Douglas. Explore Juan Francisco Elso: Por América through music, and experience live performances by Bolivian pianist Masaru Sakuma, featuring selections from Cuba and across Latin America. Tickets are available here.
Creative Saturday is made possible in part by Carolyn Dunkin Schulte Educational Endowment Fund, The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs, William Randolph Hearst Endowment Fund for Educational Programs, and Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts.
Lemon Art Research Library Book Club: Design Motifs of Ancient Mexico and Traditional African Designs June 17 | 1:30 pm Free for Members and the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Lemon Art Research Library Join PhxArt Librarian Jesse Lopez for the next installment of the Lemon Art Research Library Book Club, featuring Design Motifs of Ancient Mexico by Jorge Enciso and Traditional African Designs by Gregory Mirow. Participants will discuss how these illustrated art books can be a resourceful tool for royalty free images and references while completing an art-making activity. Tickets coming soon to phxart.org.
Exhibition Tour: Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection June 21 | 5 – 5:45 pm Free for Members and the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Steele Gallery Limited capacity. Advance reservation recommended. Join exhibition curators Olga Viso and Julio César Morales, executive director and co-chief curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Tucson, for an exclusive tour of Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection. Tickets are available here.
Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and the ASU Art Museum. It is curated by Olga Viso, curator-at-large at PhxArt and senior advisor at ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and Julio César Morales, executive director and co-chief curator of MoCA Tucson. The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of the Museum’s Circles of Support and Museum Members.
Film Screening + Artist Talk: Sandra Ramos June 21 | 6 – 7:30 pm Free for Members | $5 for the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Whiteman Hall Experience eight animated short films by Cuban contemporary painter, printmaker, and installation artist Sandra Ramos that examine the complexities of daily life, migration, and gender politics in Cuba. Ramos created the series during the years leading up to her 2014 exile.
Naufragio (Shipwreck), 2008. Runtime: 2:46 min
Retrato del náufrago (Portrait of the Shipwreck), 2008. Runtime: 2:01 min
Sistema solar (Solar System), 2008. Runtime: 2:32 min
Escape (Escape), 2009. Runtime: 2:57 min
Carrera de relevo (Relay in Relief), 2010. Runtime: 2:05 min
Domesticación (Domestication), 2011. Runtime: 3:45 min
Aquarium (Acuario), 2013. Runtime: 4:23 min
Malecón (Pier), 2013. Runtime: 4:18 min
Videos from the collection of Michael and Beth Kasser.
Following the screenings, hear from the artist in conversation with Olga Viso and Julio César Morales, curators of Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection. Tickets are available here.
Performing arts programming at Phoenix Art Museum is made possible in part by the generosity of the Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts.
JULY 2023 Art Talk: Poet Anna Flores in dialogue with artists and thinkers Estephania González, Carolina Aranibar-Fernández, and Estrella Esquilín July 15 | 1 – 2:30 pm Free for Members | $8 for the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Singer Hall Experience a roundtable discussion about polycultural identity in the making of the contemporary Americas. Tickets coming soon to phxart.org.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
Art Talk: Juan Francisco Elso and Mexico – Curator Cuauhtémoc Medina in dialogue with artist Magali Lara July 19 | Noon MST Free for Members and the public Presented on Zoom (in Spanish with English subtitles) Learn about Juan Francisco Elso’s deep cultural and aesthetic ties to Mexico and Mesoamerican cultural traditions from Mexico City-based artist Magali Lara and Cuauhtémoc Medina, chief curator at MUAC (University Museum of Contemporary Art, Mexico City). Event link coming soon to phxart.org.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
PhxArt Family Funday: Farewell Summer Extravaganza July 30 | 10 am – 5 pm Free-access event Phoenix Art Museum Make end-of-summer memories together! Families and friends are invited to enjoy free Museum admission all day long, including access to Juan Francisco Elso: Por América and its three complementary exhibitions. Join us beginning at noon for live performances in the galleries, art-making, demonstrations, and hands-on experiences for all ages and abilities. Tickets are available here.
PhxArt Family Fundays are made possible through the generosity of Presenting Sponsor Men’s Arts Council.
SEPTEMBER 2023 PhxArt AfterHours September 1 | 5 – 9 pm Free-access event Phoenix Art Museum Join us from 5 – 9 pm as we celebrate the end of summer with free admission to Juan Francisco Elso: Por América and its three complementary exhibitions. Enjoy live music and performances, dancing, creative sessions, and specialty food and drink experiences.
PhxArt AfterHours are made possible through the generosity of Partner Sponsor APS.
Art Talk: Constellations – Artistic Responses, Migrating Identities, and Displacement A Collaboration between PhxArt, ASU Art Museum and CALA Alliance September 6 | 6 – 7:30 pm Free for Members | $8 for the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Whiteman Hall This conversation about artistic and aesthetic responses to migration, immigration, and displacement will be moderated by Alana Hernandez, executive director at CALA Alliance and curator of LatinX art at the ASU Art Museum. Tickets coming soon to phxart.org.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
Creative Saturday September 9 | Noon – 3 pm Free for Members | Included with general admission for the general public Phoenix Art Museum Visitors of all ages and abilities are invited to gather inspiration from the work of the late Cuban artist Juan Francisco Elso and a multigenerational group of more than 30 artists active in the Caribbean and throughout North, South, and Central America. Explore the major exhibition Juan Francisco Elso: Por América through art-making, hands-on experiences, and performances by Phoenix-based creatives. Tickets coming soon to phxart.org.
Creative Saturday is made possible in part by Carolyn Dunkin Schulte Educational Endowment Fund, The Discount Tire Endowment for Children’s Art Programs, William Randolph Hearst Endowment Fund for Educational Programs, and Angela and Leonard Singer Endowment for Performing Arts.
Art Talk: Tania Bruguera September 14 | 6 – 7:30 pm Free for Members | $8 for the general public Phoenix Art Museum, Singer Hall Cuban artist Tania Bruguera explores the relationship between art, activism, and social change in her works, often examining the social effects of political and economic power. Hear from Bruguera in conversation with Olga Viso as they discuss the artist’s experience as a student of the late Cuban contemporary artist Juan Francisco Elso, with particular focus on Bruguera’s own artistic practice and activism for freedom of expression and civil liberties in Cuba. Tickets coming soon to phxart.org.
Art Talk is made possible in part by the generosity of the William Randolph Hearst Endowed Fund for Education Programs.
ABOUT THE EXHIBITIONS Juan Francisco Elso: Por América Juan Francisco Elso: Por América explores the significant career of the late Cuban artist, whose sculptures and installations examine the complexities of contemporary Cuban, Caribbean, and Latin American identities. Fashioned from natural, organic materials, featured works draw influence from Indigenous traditions, Afro-Caribbean religious beliefs, and the traumas of colonial oppression and are placed in conversation with paintings, sculptures and more by a group of 30 multigenerational artists active in the Caribbean and throughout North, South, and Central America. Through this contextual approach, the traveling survey illuminates Elso’s legacy and articulates a more expansive idea of the Americas, free of geopolitical borders and boundaries.
Juan Francisco Elso: Por América is organized by El Museo del Barrio and guest curated by Olga Viso, curator-at-large at Phoenix Art Museum and senior advisor at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, in collaboration with Susanna V. Temkin, curator at El Museo del Barrio. The exhibition is made possible thanks to major support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts. Commissions are made possible by VIA Art Fund and the Elizabeth Firestone Graham Foundation. Its presentation at Phoenix Art Museum is made possible through the generosity of Partner Sponsor Sue and Bud Selig and Supporting Sponsors Men’s Arts Council, The Opatrny Family Foundation, the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Exhibition Endowment Fund, and the Joan Cremin Exhibition Endowment, with additional support from Kimpton Hotel Palomar.
Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection features artworks created during Cuba’s “Special Period” to explore artistic expression during times of humanitarian crises and social upheaval. The exhibition is the first collaboration between PhxArt and ASU Art Museum in more than a decade.
Lo que es, es lo que ha sido/ What It Is, Is What Has Been: Selections from the ASU Art Museum’s Cuban Art Collection is organized by Phoenix Art Museum and ASU Art Museum and curated by Olga Viso, curator-at-large at PhxArt and senior advisor at Arizona State University’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts, and Julio César Morales, executive director and co-chief curator of MoCA Tucson. The exhibition is made possible through the generosity of the Museum’s Circles of Support and Museum Members
Reynier Leyva Novo: Methuselah Methuselah (2021–2022) by Cuban artist Reynier Leyva Novo is a mixed-reality artwork that follows a butterfly avatar along its journey from Mexico, across the United States, and into southern Canada as part of the species’ annual reproductive cycle. On-site visitors will experience the Monarch’s movements and behaviors in a shared environment using a holographic device. Additionally, Methuselah is hosted and reproduced in real-time on a dedicated website so that users across the world with internet access can experience the work at any time.
Methuselah is commissioned by El Museo del Barrio through the generous support of VIA Art Fund. The project is presented in relation to the exhibition Juan Francisco Elso: Por América, which is organized by El Museo del Barrio and made possible thanks to major support from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts.
Migration Stories: Arizona Collects Cuban Art Migration Stories: Arizona Collects Cuban Art draws from the collection of Phoenix Art Museum and other regional collections to shine a spotlight on the complex histories of Cuban migration marked by periodic waves of departure since the 1959 Revolution. Many artists featured in the exhibition emigrated at different moments along this historical trajectory, and their works explore themes of loss, discrimination, and struggled passage.
Migration Stories: Arizona Collects Cuban Art is organized by Phoenix Art Museum. It is made possible through the generosity of the Museum’s Circles of Support and Museum Members.
