El Camino Real Heritage Center features art and exhibits
about Castes, Children and Women
El Camino Real – The International Heritage Center located between Socorro and Truth or Consequences, NM, will feature an exhibit and host a celebration of children during April; and celebrate Women during May.
<center><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/Castas1.jpg align=center hspace=3 border=1 alt="Castas Exhibit"></center>
The exhibit called “Castas: Emergence of a National Identity” will hang from Apri 8 through July 28 at the Center, 300 East County Road 1598, San Antonio, NM 87832. Located on I-25 between Socorro and T or C, Exit 115.
Organized by the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Research and Literary Arts NM Department of Cultural Affairs, the exhibition is a collection of 24-framed replicas of portraits painted during the late 1700s in Mexico.
The collection depicts various racial, ethnic, and social castas (castes) that made up the society of colonial New Spain as the period was coming to an end.
The paintings, by both known and anonymous artists, show the various racial groups that emerged from the mixing of peoples in the two centuries following the conquest of Mesoamerica by Spain. The concept of castas was never fully accepted and developed after the Spanish colonial period, yet its influence can be traced in some of the attitudes and perspectives emerging from that time.
The paintings also examine daily, Spanish colonial life – how people dressed, types of occupations per-formed, what foods were eaten. The collection is a tribute to mestizaje, or the blending of various cultures.
The portraits are, thus, a celebration of the many groups that have contributed to creating a common heritage.
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ninaday.jpg align=left hspace=3 border=1 alt="Dia del Nino">
On Saturday, April 28, the Center will celebration “Dia del Nino,” with story telling, pinata breaking, arts and crafts and many other activities. A special showing of classic cartoons, along with popcorn and balloons will make for a festive day at the Center from 11 am to 4 pm. Living history demonstrations of Spanish Colonial life courtesy of la Sociedad de la Centrada also will be ongoing throughout the day.
Then, on May 12, join Sharon Niederman as she reads from her book A Quilt of Words: Women’s Diaries, Letters & Original Accounts from 1860-1960. Sharon’s reading of her award-winning collection of pioneer journals will follow a video screening based on the book. Sharon will also debut her new novel, Return to Abo, a book inspired by stories of New Mexico ranch women collected by the author for almost two decades. Return to Abo is a finalist for the 2006 WILLA Award for women’s contemporary fiction.
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ECniederman.jpg align=right hspace=3 border=1 alt="Author at El Camino Real International Heritage Center"> Sharon is a tour guide for University of New Mexico’s Continuing Education Story of New Mexico travel program and leads tours throughout the state. Her most recent book is Great Destinations “Santa Fe & Taos Book: A Complete Guide” published by The Countryman Press in 2006. She is a member of the New Mexico Press Women and its board. She belongs to the Society of American Travel Writers and serves on the board of directors of the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. She lives in Albuquerque and Raton. Please visit her website at www.sharonniederman.com. Books will be available at the Center’s Gift Shop for signing.
El Camino Real International Heritage Center is operated under NM State Monuments, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, State of NM. Open 6 days a week, 8:30 am – 5 pm. Closed Tuesdays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter. Memberships are available with discounts to seniors and free admis-sion to school groups. A single visit is $5. For more information, call 505-854-3600 or visit www.elcominoreal.org
about Castes, Children and Women
El Camino Real – The International Heritage Center located between Socorro and Truth or Consequences, NM, will feature an exhibit and host a celebration of children during April; and celebrate Women during May.
<center><img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/Castas1.jpg align=center hspace=3 border=1 alt="Castas Exhibit"></center>
The exhibit called “Castas: Emergence of a National Identity” will hang from Apri 8 through July 28 at the Center, 300 East County Road 1598, San Antonio, NM 87832. Located on I-25 between Socorro and T or C, Exit 115.
Organized by the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Research and Literary Arts NM Department of Cultural Affairs, the exhibition is a collection of 24-framed replicas of portraits painted during the late 1700s in Mexico.
The collection depicts various racial, ethnic, and social castas (castes) that made up the society of colonial New Spain as the period was coming to an end.
The paintings, by both known and anonymous artists, show the various racial groups that emerged from the mixing of peoples in the two centuries following the conquest of Mesoamerica by Spain. The concept of castas was never fully accepted and developed after the Spanish colonial period, yet its influence can be traced in some of the attitudes and perspectives emerging from that time.
The paintings also examine daily, Spanish colonial life – how people dressed, types of occupations per-formed, what foods were eaten. The collection is a tribute to mestizaje, or the blending of various cultures.
The portraits are, thus, a celebration of the many groups that have contributed to creating a common heritage.
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ninaday.jpg align=left hspace=3 border=1 alt="Dia del Nino">
On Saturday, April 28, the Center will celebration “Dia del Nino,” with story telling, pinata breaking, arts and crafts and many other activities. A special showing of classic cartoons, along with popcorn and balloons will make for a festive day at the Center from 11 am to 4 pm. Living history demonstrations of Spanish Colonial life courtesy of la Sociedad de la Centrada also will be ongoing throughout the day.
Then, on May 12, join Sharon Niederman as she reads from her book A Quilt of Words: Women’s Diaries, Letters & Original Accounts from 1860-1960. Sharon’s reading of her award-winning collection of pioneer journals will follow a video screening based on the book. Sharon will also debut her new novel, Return to Abo, a book inspired by stories of New Mexico ranch women collected by the author for almost two decades. Return to Abo is a finalist for the 2006 WILLA Award for women’s contemporary fiction.
<img src=http://sonewmex.com/images/ECniederman.jpg align=right hspace=3 border=1 alt="Author at El Camino Real International Heritage Center"> Sharon is a tour guide for University of New Mexico’s Continuing Education Story of New Mexico travel program and leads tours throughout the state. Her most recent book is Great Destinations “Santa Fe & Taos Book: A Complete Guide” published by The Countryman Press in 2006. She is a member of the New Mexico Press Women and its board. She belongs to the Society of American Travel Writers and serves on the board of directors of the Farm and Ranch Heritage Museum. She lives in Albuquerque and Raton. Please visit her website at www.sharonniederman.com. Books will be available at the Center’s Gift Shop for signing.
El Camino Real International Heritage Center is operated under NM State Monuments, a division of the Department of Cultural Affairs, State of NM. Open 6 days a week, 8:30 am – 5 pm. Closed Tuesdays. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year’s, and Easter. Memberships are available with discounts to seniors and free admis-sion to school groups. A single visit is $5. For more information, call 505-854-3600 or visit www.elcominoreal.org