Museum of Latin American Art in Long Beach opens virtual exhibit “HERland”

Long Beach’s Museum of Latin American Art had announced the opening of a new virtual exhibit focusing on the work of women artists titled “HERland: Women Artists from the MOLAA Collection.”

The virtual exhibit debuted on Feb. 7 and was created by the museum’s Chief Curator Gabriela Urtiaga.

“HERland: Women Artists from the MOLAA Collection” was inspired by the 1915 novel of the same name, which according to Urtiaga in a digital letter on MOLAA’s website, tells the story of a utopian paradise where women reside in a communitarian society.

Now, MOLAA presents their own version of “HERland,” Urtiaga said, “in a world where the discussion about women empowering, race, class, and equity is more relevant (and necessary) than ever before.”

“This selection of women artists that we present today is part of the MOLAA Permanent Collection, and by sharing them with our public we begin a new approach to our history as an institution,” Urtiaga said in her letter. “In addition to broadening our perspective and delving into those works that speak of certain topics, many times invisible in the history of art, such as the creation of female artists.”

The art exhibit will have, in total, 56 different art pieces created by 44 women. Each piece, according to CEO and President of MOLAA Lourdes Ramos-Rivas, will invite the viewers to “walk a territory in which they address essential issues, such as equity, gender and race.”

“The exhibition reveals common stories, told from different geographies, with different faces, that converge as an affirmation of a female empowerment that knows no borders,” Lourdes said in a press release on Feb. 5.

Some of the artists whose work is a part of the exhibit include Los Angeles-based multidisciplinary artist Carmen Argote, photographer Amalia Caputo, painter Ofelia Rodriguez and L.A. born and raised multidisciplinary artist Patssi Valdez.

The virtual exhibit is separated into four different sections depending on theme, including Surrealism, Representation, Boundaries and Distortion.

Viewers can navigate through the exhibit with their computer as they would walking in a physical gallery. Information about each piece will be available as well.

“HERland” was originally scheduled to be open to the public last year in the spring 2020. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, the exhibit was put on hold.

Now, the exhibit will continue until January 2022. MOLAA also stated on their website that the exhibit will be available for in-person viewing “upon the Museum’s reopening to the public.”

Visit the virtual exhibit online at MOLAA’s website.