The Mexican Fine Arts Center Museum stands as a symbol of East Pilsen’s appeal in its fine balance of art awareness and cultural celebration. A blocky, brick structure on the outside, the MFACM opens up to seven well-preserved galleries that host contemporary and traditional Mexican artwork. Past exhibits have included the wildly popular Frida Kahlo/Diego Rivera showing last year and this year’s Gunther Gerzso show. Additionally, the MFACM hosts two performing arts festivals throughout the year that celebrate Latin American culture, the Sor Juana Festival and Del Corazon Festival. Past participants and guests of these festivals include hefty names in the modern Latin America scene, like Octavio Paz, Isabel Allende, Carlos Fuentes, Rigoberta Menchu, Sandra Cisneros and Elena Poniatowska. Of course, nothing less should be expected of a museum that proudly proclaims itself “the nation’s largest Latino arts organization.”
Reviewed By: M. Cecilia Wong
