A Celebration To Launch Mexic‐Arte Museum’s Meditation On Nostalgia

“Your favorite childhood show, a special moment shared with a loved one, a dish, a specific smell, a trip, a place, a restaurant that does not exist any more … What memories, moments, or feelings does nostalgia evoke for you?”

Those are the questions that the Mexic-Arte Museum leveraged to curate the work of over 200 artists across the city and throughout the region for a new exhibit—“Echoes of The Past / Ecos del Pasado”—exploring the “beauty and intricacies of nostalgia”.

Luisa Fernanda Perez, the curator of the exhibit, told Social Stimulus the museum landed on nostalgia as a theme while “reflecting on Austin’s rapid transformation.” The theme allows:

• Individual artists to “draw from specific events, objects, or even abstract feelings”;
• Attendees to experience, across 200 pieces of art, “the unique ways in which personal histories and collective memories shape the emotional fabric of a community, especially in a city like Austin.”
• All of us to hear echoes of Austin’s past. Here’s Luisa: “I remember some places that are no longer here. Graffiti Park was a favorite of mine, my cousin took me and I loved the vibrant scene, it was an alternative space for art and community—I had never seen anything like that before. Shady Grove had some great burgers and was a really cool space.”

Social Stimulus spoke to Luisa about all the ways we experience nostalgia—be it a perfume that takes you back to a loving grandmother, the smell of suntan lotion that takes you back to summer; or, like Luisa, the experience of a favorite childhood meal:

“I am originally from Ciudad Juárez, México. A nostalgic dish for me is Menudo. My family would buy it as a special treat during the weekends. I am still on the lookout for the best menudo in ATX.”

🚨Readers: Do you have an ATX menudo recommendation for Luisa? Email us! We'll share some favorite spots in an upcoming edition. 🚨

The Details:

• IYKYK. Mexic-Arte is “one of the foremost Latinx art museums in the country,” boasting a permanent collection with over “5,000 important historical and contemporary works,” including popular Mexican dance masks and a rare books collection.
• The Party. On Friday January 31, from 6-9 P.M., the Mexic-Arte Museum will host a celebration to launch Echoes Of The Past / Ecos del Pasado. Think: D.J., sips, and snacks—all for $10 (tickets).
• Art Sale. The event includes an art sale, which, in part, “supports educational programming for children” including its highly-regarded school murals programs and its partnership with the city’s violence prevention office. Thus far, the museum has “provided more than 200,000 underserved Austin youth with an art education.”

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