CHANDLER, Ariz. – The Spanish word for monsters is the masculine monstruos, but an exhibition at Chandler Museum reminds visitors that women can be monsters too.
“¡MONSTRAS!: Female Legends of Latin America” opens April 26 and will be on view through Aug. 31.
More than just an invented word for female monsters, MONSTRAS emphasizes the double standard for women who defy social norms, and the draw of these traditional myths for those who feel on the fringes of society.
Based on the podcast of the same name created by Dr. Orquidea Morales and Brenda Salguero (M.M.St and MBA), the exhibition introduces dark and foreboding tales of Latin America which they first encountered in their youth, filtered through a distinctly feminist perspective.
The new exhibition includes legends from across Central and South America and the Caribbean, pointing out the shared origins of myths in the Americas with those of monster tales all over the world. When MONSTRAS stories share characteristics with frightening creatures in other lands, we are shown global links shaped by brutal colonial rule and the slave trade; the evolution of indigenous culture as their traditions mix with Catholicism; and the universal concerns that unite humans trying to navigate an unexplained world.
Accompanying each MONSTRA story is original artwork commissioned just for this exhibition, contributed by contemporary artists Rayos Magos of San Jose, Calif., Anna Lisa Escobedo of San Francisco, Calif., and Beatriz Vasquez of Indianapolis, Ind. With exciting graphics and audio ghost stories sure to captivate visitors, “¡MONSTRAS!: Female Legends of Latin America” shows that monster stories in every culture serve to remind us to stay in our prescribed place, toe the line and always be a good little girl or boy. Or else!
“¡MONSTRAS!: Female Legends of Latin America” is on display at the Chandler Museum from April 26-Aug. 31. The Chandler Museum is located at 300 S. Chandler Village Drive. It is open Tuesday-Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Sunday 1-5 p.m. and closed on Mondays. Admission is free.
Find more information on the exhibitions and programming online at Chandler Museum or call 480-782-2717.
Chandler Museum is an innovative learning environment where the community comes together to share our stories, store our cultural heritage, and experience Chandler as a people and place. The vision of the Museum is to be the community’s principal resource to explore its people’s history, culture, and place in a rapidly changing world of today – within and without the walls of a building. Find more information online at Chandler Museum.
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Media contact:
Rebecca Vega
Chandler Museum Marketing and Volunteer Coordinator
480-782-2879