Join us for an in-depth look at our current exhibition, Bittersweet, curated by two of Latin America’s leading artists – José Falconi from Peru and Santiago Montoya from Colombia.
Bittersweet expands upon their original collaboration in Colombia, titled, “El Dorado Chocolaterie.” This reference to the foundational myth of “El Dorado,” that elusive city where everything was covered in gold, derives from the earliest days of colonization in the 16th century when countless explorers mounted expeditions in search of it. Over the years, the myth has served as an allegory for the ongoing search and exploitation of Colombia’s immense natural wealth and as a symbol for get-rich-quick schemers who traffic in its resources from gold to quinoa, or from emeralds to cocaine. Sure to attract the attention of critics and art-lovers from Somerville and beyond, Bittersweet reimagines the elusive paradise of gilded beings long sought by South American explorers. Instead of gold, however, these explorers will enter into the subconscious world of sweets, turning the Museum into an enormous chocolate factory where with the exchange for a hot cup of cocoa will be the visitor’s time.
Admission: $10/person; Museum members free*
*Includes hot chocolate for an exchange of 30 minutes of the visitors time and a promise of a good deed. Museum members use code MEMBER for free admission.
Complete Experience Admission: $20 (includes admission and hand-made ceramic cup** for hot chocolate); Museum members price = $10 (price of handmade cup).
**Ceramic cups are hand-made by Mudflat artists and a portion of the proceeds benefit Mudflat Studio.
Space will be limited and visitors are required to wear a mask indoors. The Museum will be monitoring local and state COVID -19 health + safety regulations.
To learn more: https://www.somervillemuseum.org/bittersweet
@tazachocolate @mudflatstudios
Special thanks to Taza Chocolate for their in-kind donation and support of this project.
This program is made possible by a grant from Mass Humanities, which provided funding through the National Endowment for the Humanities via the American Rescue Plan.
This program is supported in part by a grant from the Somerville Arts Council, a local agency supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council.