MAAA | Programs | ExhibitsUSA |
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Dichos: Words to Live, Love and Laugh By in Latin America |
Click image for slideshow Truck and bus drivers in many parts of Latin America take great delight in inscribing dichos, a saying, proverb, or amusing expression, on the bumpers and other surfaces of their vehicles as a way of conveying their personal feelings and worldviews to a broad audience. Dichos, handpainted by amateurs or professionals in an endless variety of graphic styles and colors, address subjects ranging from religion and love, to puns and earthy humor. The lively quality of the lettering and bright colors combined with the messages themselves present a wonderful form of folk art. Unfortunately, with the emergence of corporate trucking, this vibrant tradition is gradually disappearing. In Dichos: Words to Live, Love and Laugh By in Latin America, The Museum of International Folk Art (MOIFA) offers an engaging look at this endangered tradition. The exhibition draws from the private collection of Grant La Farge, MD, of Santa Fe, New Mexico. For more than a decade, La Farge braved encounters with suspicious drivers at truck stops across Mexico, Peru, Ecuador, Guatamala, and Panama to document the many variations of the dichos tradition. He relates, “The driver of the vehicle always has a mission, to beg protection from God, to express love or anger at a lover, to tell a joke (preferably off-color) … even to imply, by writing a different girl’s name on each of his vehicle’s windows, that he’s a real Don Juan.” The story of the dichos tradition is told through 46 color photographs accompanied by select miniature dichos-laden vehicles, including one painted by well-known Latin American artist Arturo Sosa Perez. In addition, full-sized metal bumpers featuring dichos appear with the four thematic text panels: Love; Faith and Devotion; Wit, Commentary, and Egotism; and Buses of Panama. This exhibition is a colorful exploration of a Latin American folk art tradition that was meant to be seen and read on the road. |
Exhibition
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Available Dates Dec. 15, 2008–Mar. 10, 2009 For the most current information e-mail or call Ramona Davis or Raina Heinrich at 800-473-EUSA (3872). | |
