The Art Museum Will Connect Alhama to Brooklyn With “Invisible Emigrants”

exhibition invisible immigrants. Hispanics in the United States (1868-1945) He continues his tour of Spain and can be visited for free in Space 2 of the Almería Art Museum from April 27 to June 25. After passing through the Condedoc Contemporary Culture Center in Madrid and the Old Cultural Center in Gijón, the exhibition reaches Andalusia.

“The presence of Andalusian immigrants in this exodus is significant, even necessary if we look at certain unexpected destinations: the sugar plantations in the Hawaiian Islands or the mines and steel mills in Ohio, for example,” points out the co-curator of the exhibition, journalist and filmmaker Luis Argio. . “This is clearly evident in the photographs preserved in the family albums and in conversations with the second and third generations of peasant descendants from villages across the region,” he adds. Some of these photos are among the more than 300 that, along with travel documents, letters, concert programs and home movies, are part of the exhibition.

In parallel, the Ibáñez Museum in Olula del Río will host a small complementary sample of the original exhibition that will pay special attention to the Almería phenomenon. It includes, along with other immigrants, the figure of the artist Federico Castellon (Alhabia, Almería, 1914-New York, 1971). According to James D. Fernandez, professor at New York University and co-curator of the exhibition project, “Almerians from coast to coast have been involved in this process as fascinating as it is unknown. The unique case of the colony of semi-autonomous Almerians living in Brooklyn (New York) coming from Alama And the other cities of Andarax, where the great Spanish-American artist grew up, are of particular interest to us.”

The exhibition’s arrival in Almería was possible thanks to the support of the Council of Spain-EE Foundation. and in collaboration with the Cosentino Group, which forms part of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees and has supported the exhibition since its stage in Madrid. “Exactly because of the nature of his discourse, we envisioned this exhibition from the beginning as a travelogue,” says Fernando Prieto, General Secretary of the Hispanic American Council Foundation.

“To make this journey through Spain a reality, it was necessary to have the support of institutions at the local and regional level. For this reason, coming to Almería together with the Cosentino Group, a company deeply rooted in this land and with a long and successful history in the United States, It’s a privilege,” he continues.

For his part, Cosentino Vice President of Communications and Corporate Reputation Santiago Alfonso affirmed that “it is a matter of pride for us to act as a means for the people of Almeria to appreciate this wonderful and emotional fair. For years we have maintained a genuine commitment to promoting artistic and cultural activities in our province, mainly within the framework of the Foundation Kian currently has one of the largest museum offerings in our country, which will soon be completed with the long-awaited Museum of Realism. We are convinced that ‘Invisible Migrants’ will be a complete success, and will represent a cultural landmark this year in Almeria.” The Almeria stage of the fair was supported by the Ibáñez-Cosentino Foundation, Almeria City Council and the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs and Global Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation.

invisible immigrants. Hispanics in the United States (1868-1945) It is the first exhibit dedicated to the history of Spanish immigration to the United States during the last decades of the nineteenth century and the first decades of the twentieth century, based on the findings of research conducted by curators over more than a decade. Specimen, New York University professor James D. Fernandez (New York, 1961), and journalist and filmmaker Luis Argio (Asturias, 1975).

Divided into 6 chapters –Goodbye, get to work! Living Life Organization Solidarity Discord Made in the USA– The exhibition covers the stages of the journey that any of the heroes of this diaspora could have undertaken; A wonderfully lively and emotional journey told through more than 300 photographs, instruments, documents and audiovisual materials culled from the vast archives guarded by the curators.

This exhibition is made possible by your generous contribution. It has also collaborated with the City Council of Madrid, the Municipal Foundation for Culture and Education and the Popular University of the City Council of Gijón, with the ongoing support of New York University and its institution in Spain, the King Juan Carlos I Foundation. , Técnicas Reunidas, Secretary of State for Foreign and Global Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, US Embassy in Spain, The Franklin Institute – UAH, Navantia and Cosentino.

Since its inception, the project has supported such personalities as the great writer María Dueñas, chef José Andrés, journalist and director Guillermo Visser, artist Cristina Pato, and others.