04/18/2023
Discussion hosted in honor of ‘Diego Rivera’s America’ exhibition
CONWAY, Ark. (Arkansas PBS) – As part of its Arkansas Live initiative, Arkansas PBS will livestream Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art’s sold-out Evening Talk with Cheech Marin Monday, April 24, at 6 p.m. at youtube.com/arkansaspbs.
This conversation is hosted in honor of Crystal Bridges’ exhibition “Diego Rivera’s America,” which examines a prolific time in the artist’s life through over 130 works. Between the early 1920s and the early 1940s, Rivera worked in both Mexico and the United States and found inspiration in the social and cultural life of the two countries. He imagined an America – broadly understood – that shared an Indigenous past and an industrial future, and where cooperation, rather than divisions, were paramount.
The event will feature comedian, actor, musician and activist Cheech Marin, along with Max Durón, senior editor at ARTnews.
Drawing from the speakers’ careers and experiences, the conversation will explore the importance of Chicano art; Marin’s own collection of Chicano art; and connections between contemporary Chicano art, the work of artist Diego Rivera, and the themes of the exhibition.
Best known as one half of the hilariously irreverent, satirical, counter-culture, no-holds-barred duo Cheech and Chong (now on tour), Cheech Marin is a paradox in the world of entertainment. Marin is an actor, director, writer, musician, art collector, humanitarian and multigenerational star. To this day, Cheech and Chong films remain the number one weekend video rentals, and Cheech is widely acknowledged as a cultural icon. Marin’s long-awaited memoir entitled “Cheech is Not My Real Name…But Don’t Call Me Chong!” was released in 2017.
Maximilíano Durón is a queer, Chicanx journalist and critic covering contemporary art. Born and raised on the Eastside of Los Angeles, Durón is currently based in New York. His writing focuses on the work of artists of color, specifically Latinx/Chicanx artists, queer artists and their intersections. He is a founding member of Critical Minded, which supports critics of color, and is a senior editor at ARTnews, where he manages the magazine’s annual Top 200 Collectors issue.
Diego Rivera’s America is co-organized by Crystal Bridges and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art. The exhibition is curated by James Oles, guest curator, with Maria Castro, assistant curator at SFMOMA, and coordinated at Crystal Bridges by Jen Padgett, the museum’s acting Windgate curator of craft.
Crystal Bridges Lectures & Talks are sponsored by by MailCo USA. Additional information is available at crystalbridges.org.
Arkansas Live is an initiative from Arkansas PBS that brings informative and engaging events directly to Arkansans through livestreaming. Viewers gain front row access to some of the most educational and entertaining events across the state, including livestreams from Crystal Bridges, Arkansas Department of Heritage, Winthrop Rockefeller Institute, and more.
About Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
The mission of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to welcome all to celebrate the American spirit in a setting that unites the power of art with the beauty of nature. Since opening in 2011, the museum has welcomed over 6.2 million visitors, with no cost for admission. Crystal Bridges was founded in 2005 as a non-profit charitable organization by arts patron and philanthropist, Alice Walton. The collection spans five centuries of American masterworks from early American to current day and is enhanced by temporary exhibitions. The museum is nestled on 120 acres of Ozark landscape and was designed by world-renowned architect Moshe Safdie. A rare Frank Lloyd Wright-designed house was preserved and relocated to the museum grounds in 2015. Crystal Bridges offers public programs including lectures, performances, classes and teacher development opportunities. Some 300,000 school children have participated in the Willard and Pat Walker School Visit program, which provides educational experiences for school groups at no cost to the schools. Additional museum amenities include a restaurant, gift store, library and five miles of art and walking trails. In February 2020, the museum opened a satellite contemporary art space in downtown Bentonville called the Momentary (507 SE E St.). For more information, visit CrystalBridges.org. The museum is located at 600 Museum Way, Bentonville, Arkansas, 72712.
About Arkansas PBS
Arkansas PBS, Arkansas’s only statewide public media network, empowers learners of all ages by educating, informing, entertaining and inspiring communities. Arkansas PBS serves as a daily and essential resource for Arkansans by creating, sharing, celebrating and driving conversation around Arkansas stories and classic, trusted PBS programs through multiple digital platforms, including livestreaming at myarpbs.org/watch, on-demand services and YouTube TV, and the distinct channels Arkansas PBS, Arkansas PBS Create, Arkansas PBS KIDS, Arkansas PBS WORLD and Arkansas PBS AIRS on SAP. Members with Arkansas PBS Passport have extended on-demand access to a rich library of public television programming. Arkansas PBS depends on the generosity of Arkansans and the State of Arkansas to continue offering quality programming. Additional information is available at myarkansaspbs.org. Arkansas PBS is broadcast on KETS (Little Rock), KEMV (Mountain View), KETG (Arkadelphia), KAFT (Fayetteville), KTEJ (Jonesboro), KETZ (El Dorado), KETS (Lee Mountain), KETS (Forrest City), KETS (Yancy) and KETS (Gaither).
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