The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys

The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys closes on April 23. In the final days of the exhibition, experience 21 musical compositions on vinyl records playing once more in the gallery as they erode and change over time. Visit during NHCC Museum hours, 10am – 4pm, April 21 – 23.

The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys is a collaborative sound and visual installation by New Mexican artists Adri De La Cruz and Marisa Demarco. The multi-phase exhibition begins and ends with a sound experience that transforms over the course of 72 hours as 21 musical compositions on vinyl records erode over time. Stories of strength emanate from another record that plays multigenerational interviews with one artist’s family members. This record, a document of lineage, endures. Etched portraits of the interviewees are presented on the reverse side of eight records on visual display.

The exhibit is an exploration of love, family, community, and the perseverance of generations. Each component symbolizes an experience—the grooves on a record much like mountains and valleys, the materials, strong and enduring, yet fragile and malleable.

The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys Opening Reception

5:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Join us for an opening reception to celebrate the artists behind our newest exhibition, The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys!

The Mountains Wore Down to the Valleys is a collaborative sound and visual installation by New Mexican artists Adri De La Cruz and Marisa Demarco. The multi-phase exhibition begins with a sound experience that transforms over the course of 72 hours as 20 musical compositions on vinyl records erode over time. Stories of strength emanate from another record that plays multigenerational interviews with one artist’s family members. This record, a document of lineage, will endure. Once the musical compositions have worn away, etched portraits of the interviewees will be presented on the reverse side of each record on visual display.

Visit the NHCC Art Museum Community Gallery between November 4 and November 6 from 10am – 4pm for the sonic experience. The visual installation will be on view from November 8, 2022 to April 23, 2023.

Please register in advance here or call the NHCC Welcome Center at 505-724-4771 for assistance.

Mira, Mira On the Wall: Reflecting on 20 Years of Exhibitions

The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) turned twenty years old in 2020 and the museum now has twenty years of exhibitions to reflect on and learn from. Mira Mira On the Wall: Reflecting on 20 Years of Exhibitions recounts a selection of exhibits that have been presented over the last two decades. It examines their impact on the permanent collection, the importance of the stories that have been told, and celebrates the artists that have participated in shaping the identity of the museum over the years. These exhibitions have worked to expand a collective understanding of American art and identity through the lens of Hispanic, Chicana/o, Latinx, and Latin American creative expression.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the opening of Mira Mira on the Wall in the museum was postponed and a selection of artworks were presented online in a virtual exhibit. We are excited to present the full exhibition with additional artworks in the museum itself in 2021!

Please click here to see the Virtual Exhibition of Mira, Mira On the Wall: Reflecting on 20 Years of Exhibitions.

NHCC Art Museum Closed for Renovations Jan. 28 to Feb. 25

The NHCC Art Museum is getting a fabulous new entrance! In order to maintain safety and protect the artwork, the museum will be closed between January 28 and February 25, 2019. The Art Museum will reopen in time for the opening reception for its upcoming exhibition, Que Chola!, which will take place on Friday, March 8, 6-9 pm. The last few years have seen a surge in interest in the Chola as a figure and this exhibition will explore this dynamic from a feminist perspective through art and popular culture

During the time the museum is closed, visitors can still see Mundos de Mestizaje, Frederico Vigil’s fresco depicting thousands of years of Hispanic and pre-Hispanic history, every Saturday and Sunday from 12-5 pm or by scheduling an appointment by calling 505-383-4774.

New Mexico Hometown Heroes: Hispanic Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients

The New Mexico Hometown Heroes: Hispanic Congressional Medal of Honor Recipients exhibit is a tribute to the six Hispanic Congressional Medal of Honor recipients who have received the highest honor that the United States government bestows for acts of valor and heroism. It celebrates not only their stories of service but their connections to New Mexico: Private Joseph Martínez (WWII), Private José Valdez (WWII), Master Sergeant Alejandro Ruíz (WWII), Specialist Fourth Class Daniel Fernandez (Vietnam War), Chief Warrant Officer Louis Rocco (Vietnam War) Master Sergeant Leroy Petry (Operation Enduring Freedom).

This exhibition of photographs, narratives, and ephemera allows us to reflect on the sacrifices of those who served, and those who follow in their footsteps.

It is on display in the NHCC History and Literary Arts building. You can find the hours for that building here.